Salamanca ~ "La Cuidad Dorada"

As I prepare to leave for Spain on Friday, two days from now, I am thinking about how much I am going to miss my family, friends, and everyone from work : ( Sunday night was my last shift at Islands, and after over four years of calling it my second home, I was very sad to leave. I told my manager, Randy, that I was determined not to get emotional because I am planning on coming to get my job back when I return! But it was quite bittersweet for me, and I will definitely miss everyone there, and of course, making good money. There have been too many goodbyes lately, and its been weighing on me - first my extended family and grandmothers, then my brother, then Islands, then Joanna, tomorrow my other best friends, and on Friday at LAX, my most difficult of all, my loving, sweet, and recently very teary parents.
But even with the sentimentalities that I knew were coming, I am still very excited to experience something totally different. So, I thought it would be a good idea to let you know a little about the beautiful city I will be living in. Salamanca is approximately two hours northwest of Madrid (which is located in the geographic center of Spain). Below is some more info and a few pictures, so enjoy!

Salamanca is a city in western Spain, the capital of the province of Salamanca, which belongs to the autonomous community of Castile and Leon (Castilla y León). The Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.

It is situated about 200 km west of Madrid and 80 km east of the Portuguese border. With a population around 160,000 it is the third most populated city in Castile and Leon, following Valladolid and Burgos. Salamanca is known both for its monumental sights and the University of Salamanca, which was founded in 1218 and is the oldest university in Spain and the fifth oldest western university. With its 30,000 students, the university is, together with tourism, the economic engine of the city. Salamanca is also known for the teaching of the Spanish language; in this field, Salamanca supplies 16% of the market within Spain and attracts thousands of foreign students.

And the countdown begins....

Hello and welcome to my study abroad blog! Even though it is exactly three weeks until I leave for Spain, I figured I'd start the blog and talk about my pre-departure preparations and anxiety. I mean, I'm CRAZY excited, but part of me is freaking out - going to a foreign country for four months (where I'm not fluent in the language and I don't know a single soul)is enough to make me a little apprehensive....right now, I'm just trying to focus on getting myself ready for the trip. I thought packing for my three week trip to Europe with my brother was exhausting, but it was just a warm-up compared to this! Soooo much has to be considered: global phones, plug adaptors and converters, necessary vaccines, dual voltage hairdryers (yes, my hair is very important lol), my Spanish visa (giving me permission to live and study in the country for over three months)....and of course, practicing my Spanish after a nearly three month summer hiatus. Anyway, this is just the beginning and it's sure to get a lot crazier before I leave...next blog I will tell you all a little about Salamanca, the beautiful Renaissance city where I will be living and going to school...but adios for now!