Hello!
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I'm Ava, and this is my second blog post during my time here in Segovia, Spain, where I'm studying Spanish Language and Culture.
I've been living in Spain for almost two months now, and my time abroad has been nothing like I could've imagined.
When it comes to independence, I've grown in ways I didn't expect. During some of the hardest moments, especially when I've felt lonely or moments when I have questioned how my identity is fitting in with the world around me. I've found myself thinking a lot about my parents. I imagine what it must have been like for them to leave everything they knew behind and start a new life in the United States. Whenever I feel lost or wish my support system were closer, I remind myself that my parents went though the same thing, but on a much bigger scale. They had a family to take care of and an entirely new life to build, not just a three-month study abroad experience. That realization deeply humbled me. I know I'm only feeling a fraction of what they experienced, but even that small glimpse has given me a much greater appreciation for their strength, courage, and sacrifices.
Living in Spain has also been transformative in ways beyond personal growth. I've experienced a real cultural shift, especially when it comes to language and communication. In the U.S., I only know a few people who are trilingual like me. But here in Spain (and in Europe in general), it feels completely normal for people to speak two or more languages fluently. Seeing that has really motivated me to keep improving my Spanish, but it has also made me want to reconnect with my first language, Persian. As my Spanish has gotten stronger, I feel inspired to keep learning more languages. It's definitely challenging, but I've realized it's not impossible.
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Tune in for my final blog!
Thanks for reading,
Ava Momtazi, Spanish Language and Culture in Segovia