#updatemeinereise

I am leaving Europe and heading towards South America. Currently, I am in Madrid, staying at a hostel. Tonight (31.05.2018), I will board a plane to Lima. It's an amazing feeling to finally leave Europe and embark on this 'new world' adventure. Spain is now in the past. After gaining so much new knowledge and experiences, I am excited to fly to Peru and leave Europe behind. I have been in Spain since the end of January, traveling with my backpack that has been a close companion.

But now let's go back to the beginning...

On January 22nd of this year, I boarded a flight to Andalusia. Specifically, to Seville. I would spend 2 months there participating in a project that allows young adults aged 18-35 to do an internship in Spain and take Spanish language courses. I would be living in Spain with 8 other participants and working in a small carpentry workshop. The project is funded by the EU, so there would be minimal costs for us. The apartment, language course, round-trip flight, weekend excursions, and an additional 70 euros per week are covered by the EU. Amazing!

Time in Seville flew by quickly. In the last few weeks, I was glad that it was almost over and I could finally adventure into Spain on my own. Due to the project, it was required for the group to return to Germany on March 22nd to reflect on our time. But for me, it was clear that I would return to Spain/Seville as soon as possible. I stayed in my hometown for a whole two weeks. Just 14 days... and not a day longer  xD. Finally, on April 9th, the day came. David and I made our way to Memmingen Airport. David had the same plan to travel in Spain. However, we decided to only travel together in Seville and Granada in the beginning, as it was important for both of us to gain experiences on our own. But if anyone followed my blogs closely, they would notice that David and I coincidentally ended up in the same cities on the same days twice (Almeria, Valencia). In Valencia, it was finally time to say goodbye.

A good, but not always easy journey for me comes to an end here in Spain. I personally realized that you always feel comfortable where you meet people who are open, friendly, and sympathetic towards you.

Traveling is also not always easy. You are confronted with many things throughout the day, and homesickness naturally arises at times. But that's normal. Even if you make an effort to speak Spanish, people from Spain who speak English to you (even though you're trying to speak Spanish) can be challenging. It was not always easy for me. However, I must also say that I met just as many people who patiently and understandingly spoke with me in Spanish, even though they were capable of speaking English with me. In Germany, it's not different, there are people who prefer to speak English with someone from a different country, even if they would rather speak German. ...

"Travel broadens the mind" - two words that perfectly match, like the yolk of an egg. You learn various skills, whether social, emotional, empathetic, or to increase your independence, and much, much more. When you can put yourself in the shoes of someone who comes to a new country and doesn't speak the language, you truly perceive it while traveling. Openness to the world and seeing the world through different eyes are other great advantages of traveling the world... the world is not just what we know, there is so much more. However, I must also say, it's not always easy to travel alone. There are always times when you don't feel like it anymore and would rather hide under your blanket. That's how I felt sometimes. But is it really that different at home? Are we always happy? My clear answer to that is: NO. Only when we are sometimes unhappy can we truly appreciate happiness.

At first, it wasn't easy for me to speak Spanish with people, as my command of the language was very limited, and I lacked confidence. The key is to learn not to hide when making mistakes. The people who have failed frequently are often the most successful. They believed in their dreams and kept getting back up when they fell. Never give up and always believe in yourself are the secrets of success.

Ok...but enough writing for now. I am excited to see what awaits me in Peru. Of course, I will keep you updated... see you soon

P.S. In the coming days, I will provide you with a list that includes the following data:

• Total travel distance covered by BlaBlaCar, bus, or train (km, hours)

• Expenses for travel, food, and other costs of the trip

• etc.