My host Mom is better than yours, by Tabitha Fleck.

Spain is different in a number of ways from the U.S. and especially considering all that study abroad entails, it is easy to get overwhelmed with culture shock and feel homesick. Spanish people eat at different times, talk in a more direct fashion, have their cultural differences from those of the U.S. but above all, they have the biggest hearts. One thing that made study abroad one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had was my host Mom. Her name is Maria Luisa, she is 74 years old, and is the feistiest woman I have ever met. Let me just say that my host mom is a wonderful cook and never ceased to amaze my roommate and I when we sat down at the dinner table. Not only that, she also nursed me back to health for 4 days after I got travelers sickness in Morocco. From the conversations we’d have over dinner and all the advice she would give me about life and traveling, to all the effort she put into cleaning, doing laundry, and cooking, I can’t even begin to describe how much of a positive impact she had on my time in Spain. From a cultural psychology point of view, it occurred to me that although different cultures have different customs, at the end of the day everybody wants the same things from life, to be happy and find meaning in what they do and who they are. My host mom was quick to always remind me to let the little things go and appreciate life for what it is. I realize now that one thing I really admire about Spanish culture is that they place more of an emphasis on family and being together. I learned a lot from my host mom and also gained valuable life experience from traveling to different places and meeting new people.
Spaniards are vibrant, loud, and outgoing people with an incredible capacity to love others. One things for sure, no one compares to my host mom and I will miss her and Sevilla very, very much.