It’s Okay to Feel a Little Homesick

This might sound weird, but hear me out— FRIDAYS SUCK. Not actually but for some reason Fridays ALWAYS make me feel homesick. I think its cause we don’t have classes and the week slows down a little and I remember how much I miss everyone back home. So, every Friday at 2 P.M. (8 AM EST), I send a wake up call to my dad and my grandparents.

It’s hard being in a completely new country, and even though there are amazing people and places here, I miss my house, and my home friends, and my routine. I’m still getting used to my new normal.  

We should talk about it.

Right now, I’m sitting in one of my favorite coffee shops, BomBón Boss (side note: if you haven’t been, you HAVE to go—great coffee, unlimited Wi-Fi, and super affordable). As I’m sitting here, a playlist that can only be described as "Spanish-curated alternative American breakup" starts playing—I’m talking "Loving You Is A Losing Game" and "Teenage Dirtbag." Was I singing out loud in English? Yes, I was. Were Spaniards at the table near me staring? Yes, they were.

And now, I’m fully leaning into the homesickness, while also using this as a perfect excuse to procrastinate on an assignment I really need to finish but definitely do not want to do.

So, in the spirit of productive procrastination and embracing the push-and-pull of missing home while appreciating my time abroad, I made two lists: my 10 favorite things about Granada and the 10 things I miss most from home.

My 10 Favorite Things/Places/People in Granada:
1. Shaima aka LA REINA – My host mom, the coolest person ever, and owner of one of my favorite cafes, Cafe Noat!
        1b. Najwa – Shaima’s daughter, my host-sister, and a ray of sunshine.
2. Runs along the Río Genil – A good way to clear my head.
3. Qarmita Coffee Shop & Bookstore – Cozy, quiet, and perfect for studying.
4. Pizza and Pasta – Not just the foods, but also the best group chat ever :)
5. Lubna Classroom at the IES Granada Center – All my classes are here, and it has a special place in my heart.
6. New Atlas English School – Where I volunteer teaching English twice a week and get laughed at by 8 year olds about my Spanish grammar!
7. Llaollao – Honorable mention from my last post, but seriously, if you don’t go to Llaollao for frozen yogut in Granada then you have not lived. Also another fabulous group chat. 
8. Javier – IES Granada Program Director y el es LA LECHE.
9. Javier pt. 2 – Owner of my favorite Shawarma place, Primavera. I walk in every day and am always greeted with a hug and “mi amor, que tal?”
10. The Flamenco dancers in Plaza de Isabel la Católica – Time literally stops when they perform on Sunday afternoons.

10 Things I Miss Most from Home:
1. Morning soccer practices – Watching the sunrise with TUWS.
2. Merit Coffee shop dates – I need Lilly and Erin time :(
3. Passing by friends on campus – The familiar smiles and hellos that make my day better.
4. Seeing my dad and grandparents at my soccer games.
5. Movie nights – Honorable mention for Monsters University, a cinematic masterpiece.
6. Late-night walks around the track.
7. MY HEADPHONES – RIP because I left them at the airport. I just want my noise-cancelling headphones to restore balance to the world.
8. Breakfast runs – ONLY FOR EL MIL TACOS! 
9. Lifting in the Sports Performance Center (SPC) – European public gyms are HUMBLING.
10. Taking cat naps with my cats – I miss PepPep and Mr. Finn.

So, I guess this post is a bit of a love letter to Granada and gratitude for everyone I miss back home.

If you’re a study-abroad student thousands of miles away from home, just know that it’s okay to feel everything that comes with that.

Thank you for reading my attempt at productively procrastinating real homework! Hope you enjoyed!

P.S. This morning, I woke up and had “family breakfast” with my host family—our Saturday morning tradition. We had churros, and my host sister taught my roommate and me how to sing "Mamma Mia" in Spanish. Tonight, we have a movie night planned to watch "Minions". Everything feels right in the world again. Sometimes, you just have to lean on your family away from home. ❤️