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Exchange has been really good - seeing all these beautiful sights, walking down streets that look like they could be in movies, learning a new language (trying to see the beauty of it despite not absorbing much of it), being around my weird but fun housemates, trying out new food, learning to live like a hobo, actually attempting to budget and the list goes on and on.

I suppose the best part of exchange is getting to meet all sorts of people, talking to them about their experiences, where they come from and eventually making friends with them despite the tremendous number of differences between the two of you.

Then in comes the part where Spanish classes (9.30am-2pm erryday for 2 weeks) starts to take a toll where by the time lunch rolls around all I want to do is scroll through Instagram because alone time is in order.

Despite life being all about new experiences, new adventures, new people and how all of this shapes and guides us, I'm actually tired of the rush to mingle, to attempt to fit in, the pointless small talk, the little 'promises' to catch each other sometime soon during these initial few weeks. I mean, sure, some of these cray/impromptu/spontaneous/in the lunch queue conversations do lead to amazing friendships in the end and blablabla it's great and all, but for now I'm looking forward to meeting people in classes over discussions on Spanish art/antropologia/the emergence of China and picking each other's brains - if I still have one left after these intensive Espanol lessons.