I'm not going to lie, I was overwhelmed and anxious before leaving Spain: a new culture, a new language, new people, old friends, a hosting family where I didn't really know how I'd be treated...

Quickly I realized that I had spent the past days worrying for nothing, because everyone was just so kind, welcoming and thoughtful of me... My partner Carola would spend every second she could making sure that I was comfortable and I didn't need anything. Same goes with her family, the Van de Loo's are the kindest Germans I've known. And this is just the start. Tomorrow will be my first day of school and I couldn't be more ready for it!

Everything is just so... different! And in a good way, of course. During these days I had the oportunity to meet my partner's friends and classmates, but also seeing again old friends that I had missed a lot.

I also started attending my new classes, I feel like I'm learning so much! German is such a complicated language, but if within a week I've learned so many expressions and random words, I feel confident about having learned A LOT by the end of the exchange. And for sure I will, because I have the kindest German teacher I could've asked for. And not only her, all the teachers that I'm talking to are so welcoming.

The schedules here are also very different than in Spain. In Germany, classes start at 7:45h and are 45min long. Most of the days except for two afternoons, they go home at 13:05h. They're very lucky!

In my home country we're in school from 8h-14:30h and the classes are one hour long!

During the weekend I went by train with Carola to Münster and though it was freezing, we had an amazing time there going shopping and eating "currywurst" for dinner. I had the chance to see shops that I had never seen and practice my German a bit when I ordered things in café's or restaurants.

The coursework here is challenging but rewarding. I find myself spending hours with my German dictionary and notes, trying to piece together assignments and make sense of new grammar rules. My host family has been so supportive, Carola’s mom even offered to help me review some vocabulary the other evening, which was really sweet of her.

I’ve also started to notice how disciplined everyone here is about their studies. The students in my class always seem so focused and organized, or at least quiet, not like in Spain! My teachers continue to be patient and encouraging, which makes all the difference when I feel stuck or frustrated.

Even though I’ve been mostly at home studying, I still feel like I’m learning a lot about the culture. Small things, like how people plan their day meticulously, make me realize how different life is compared to Spain. It’s fascinating how much you can learn just by observing.

I’m looking forward to the weekend. Hopefully, I’ll have a little break from homework and maybe even time to explore more of the town or try another traditional German dish, and I'll also meet with a friend. For now, though, back to studying! I’ll write more soon!

I was also able to share my culture with my host-family on Sunday, when I cooked a whole Spanish meal for them.

The menú consisted in tortilla de patatas, croquetas and torrijas.

They absolutely loved it and I was very proud of my cooking skills! The next day, nothing was left.

I miss using oil for cooking vegetables or meat, my body was asking for it definetly, but I know for sure that it's a complement of being in another country.

I also went to the cinema and though the movie was in German, I could understand random words, which made me feel that I did not take 2 flights to get to another country for no reason.

Slowly I'm becoming a pro bike rider (though I know Germans wouldn't say that of me), which helps me if I have to ride while it's raining to school in the early morning.

This weekend I'll go with my German family to Bremerhaven, a city in the north coast. We'll rent an apartment for the weekend and visit museums that I'm dying to go to! We'll see how it goes!

Last weekend, my host family took me on a trip to Bremerhaven. It was an exciting experience, but also quite exhausting. We visited the Klimahaus, which was really interesting because it takes you through different climate zones around the world. Then, we went to the Deutsches Auswandererhaus, where I learned a lot about German emigration history. It was fascinating to see how people left Europe in search of a new life. We also visited the Zoo am Meer, which was smaller than I expected but had amazing animals like polar bears and seals. They are huge!

Unfortunately, the weather was terrible: cold, windy, and rainy. Except for Sunday's afternoon, when the Aun decided to show up unexpectedly. I wasn’t dressed warmly enough, and now I’ve caught a cold. On top of that, I’ve been feeling really homesick. I miss Spanish food so much. Jamón, tortilla de patatas, and even the simplest bocadillos! I also miss my friends, and I can’t help but feel like I’m falling behind in school. When I go back to Spain, I’ll probably have missed a lot of topics, and catching up will be stressful.

Still, I’m trying to stay optimistic. This weekend will be busy with my exchange partner’s brother’s birthday and my partner's confirmation. It will be interesting to see how they celebrate these events in Germany. Hopefully, it will keep me distracted and in a better mood.

For now, I just need to rest, recover from my cold, and try to enjoy the time I have left here.

Today was a heavy and emotional day. We visited the Westerbork transit camp, and I still feel a bit overwhelmed by everything I saw and learned. Walking through such a historically significant place made me reflect a lot. It’s one thing to read about the Holocaust in books, but standing in a place where so many people suffered and were sent to their deaths is something else entirely. The silence, the memorials, and the long railway tracks made everything feel so real.

The museum was very detailed, with personal stories, letters, and photographs of people who passed through the camp. It was heartbreaking to read about families being separated and about children who never got to grow up. The empty space where the barracks once stood was terrorific. It’s hard to imagine what life must have been like there: cold, hunger, fear, and uncertainty every single day.

The visit left me feeling sad but also grateful. It reminded me how lucky I am to have a normal, peaceful life, to be able to travel, study, and be with my family. At the same time, it made me think about how important it is to remember history so that something like this never happens again.

After the visit, I was quiet for most of the ride back. I think we all were. It’s not an experience you just move on from in a few minutes. I’ll definitely be thinking about this visit for a long time.

However, I'm here with a lot to explain!

Today is a bittersweet day. The Spanish exchange students from Puerto Real, Cádiz, are leaving, and I already feel a bit empty inside. When they arrived, I was beyond excited to meet them it felt like a little piece of home had come to me. The moment we started talking, everything felt so natural, as if we had known each other forever. Finally, I could speak Spanish without thinking, make jokes that didn’t need explaining, and just be myself without worrying about language or cultural differences.

We bonded instantly, sharing stories about life back in Spain, the things we missed (mostly food, of course), and laughing at how strange some German habits still seem to us. It was such a relief to be around people who understood exactly how I was feeling who also missed the sun, the sound of Spanish conversations everywhere, and even the little things like hearing “vale” and “tío” all the time.

We went to parties, danced, laughed and had fun. We also visited cities in Germany and I'm forever grateful that Herr Stuppe allowed me to get into their program.

But now, they’re leaving, and it feels like I’m saying goodbye to home all over again. It’s weird because, even though I know I’ll see them again in Spain (or at least I hope so), having them here made me feel less alone. And now that they’re gone, I feel the homesickness creeping back in.

Still, I’m trying to stay positive. My time here isn’t over yet, and I need to make the most of it. But for now, I just feel a little lost like I got a glimpse of home, only to have it taken away again.

Spending time with them brought me so much joy. We laughed, shared stories, and explored together. It was comforting to have a piece of home with me, even if just for a short time. We took a trip to Hamburg, and it was absolutely amazing! The city is so big and full of life. We visited the "Dialogue in the Dark" experience and let me tell you, it was awsome. I consider it an experience everyone should go through. We then walked around the beautiful streets, and even tried some delicious food. It was a perfect escape from my usual routine of studying.

And as if that wasn’t enough, yesterday I had another incredible experience with my host family. We spent the day in the Netherlands, in a small city called Ootmarsum. It was such a charming place, with its picturesque streets and peaceful atmosphere. Walking through its historic center and enjoying a relaxed day with my host family made me appreciate even more how lucky I am to be here, despite missing home.

These past few days have reminded me that, even when I feel homesick, there is always something to look forward to. I know that I’ll cherish these memories forever, and I’m so grateful for the experiences I’m having on this exchange.