For the last time...

I am sitting in the Charles DeGaulle airport in Paris, France, writing my last entry in this fun little blog. I want to say thank you to all who read and kept up with my activities in my semester abroad. I hope that you enjoyed the entries and photos, and I hope to see you this summer!

After class ended last Friday, Feria de Abril started in Sevilla. Basically, Feria is this HUGE party/carnival that lasts a week. Rides, games, horses, dancing, drinking, and ridiculously gaudy dresses highlight this really fun Sevilla tradition.

Also, last Sunday, instead of sky-diving (weather was not good in the morning), David and I joined our friend Bobby and his parents to see the Sevilla FC vs. Real Madrid soccer game in Sevilla. The tickets were expensive (Real Madrid is one of the best teams in Europe) and Sevilla lost, but the experience was awesome. Luckily for me, I won't get the chance to really miss the passion that Spaniards have for sport because my Houston Rockets have just advanced past the first round of the NBA playoffs and apparently Houston is buzzed and fired up! I am looking forward to that!

On Tuesday, David, Bobby, Ryan, Colby and I left for Paris, France. We just spent a good 4 days there seeing all the sights, big and small. We really enjoyed ticking off uptight French waiters, and overall, it was a great way to cap off the fantastic semester. Looking back on the semester, it's amazing to remember all the places I visited, people I met, and crazy things I did. Just to recap all the places I went to:

SPAIN:
Sevilla, Italica, Cordoba, Carmona, Ceuta, Cadiz, Moguer/Huelva/La Rabida, Granada, Sierra Nevada Mountain Range National Park, Barcelona, Madrid, Segovia, Toledo, Nerja

MOROCCO:
Tanger, Tetouan, Chechaouen

ITALY:
Rome, Florence, Pisa, Venice

PORTUGAL:
Lisbon, Cintra

FRANCE:
Paris

It's been incredible. And traveling so much this semester has done nothing but given me a desire to continue to travel to my top destinations. Some of the places I wish to visit in the near future include New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Switzerland, Guatemala, Brazil, and I really want to do a west coast US tour including California, Oregon, and Washington.

But I digress... this semester I was supposed to learn some things and forget other things. I think I did a little bit of that. It wasn't some existential life altering experience that changed my whole persona, but it did help round me out some and broaden my base for experiencing life from this point out. The most difficult thing will be to somehow peacefully merge and mesh the best customs, traditions, and ways of life that I believe exist in both worlds, the American world, and the Spanish world. There are lots of things that America does SPOT ON. Absolutely 100% correct and I would never change. And then there are some things that Spain does perfect as well. The fun and difficult part is being able to expand myself when I return by holding on to the best of both of those sides.

I hope to see you all soon. I love you all, thank you for reading and thank for taking interest in my life. It keeps me driven to become the best man I can be in so that I may love others as much as you guys love me.

I leave you with the mantra of Tech students everywhere... "Win or lose, we always booze."
Er... the other mantra (though that one is most certainly true for Tech students, haha!).

"Strive for honor, evermore, long live the matadors".

For the last time...
Peace, love and God bless,
Noel