After being back in the U.S.A. for a couple weeks now, I have done some major reflecting on all of my experiences abroad. I began writing this post before I even left Spain, and finally with some free time I was able to finish it. So my friends, here is just a glimpse into the many things I learned on my trip abroad.
1. Not every day is a stroll in the park. Study abroad, in all it's glorified glory, is fun. It's rewarding. But what you see is the surface level, the pictures of beautiful places and cool activities. Sorry to break it to you, but there are bad days as well. Of course, I went to Spain with the expectation of everything being perfect, as the only glimpse into study abroad I had before was the same as everyone else- pictures, amazing stories, etc. But a few weeks in, I found myself questioning everything--coming to Spain, leaving my home, traveling alone. The first time I cried at night in my room I was so thrown off guard. You're not supposed to be crying, right? You're in Spain, I told myself. I thought something was wrong with me. But after speaking with my friends in Spain, I realized that this feeling was more or less normal. It's normal to have emotional ups and downs, like anywhere else in the world. I feel like I was especially prone to it there due to constant traveling, lack of sleep, missing my family and friends, etc. This is one thing that I learned quickly, and really changed my view of the glorified study abroad experience. (Disclaimer: Just because you have downs, doesn't mean the other 95% of the experience isn't amazing!!)
With That Being Said,
2. You will get homesick. I told myself I wouldn't. Two months from home? That's nothing. I could do that. But in all reality I will admit to being homesick now and then, especially near the end of the trip. I missed my friends, my family, my boyfriend, my cat--it seemed like they were an entire world away. I give so much credit to people who study abroad for an entire semester or even an entire year. As strong as I thought I was, I did end up getting homesick in the two months I was gone.
3. Bad things will inevitably happen. Like getting squawked at by a possessed woman on the Paris metro (she may or may not have put a curse on us?), getting seasick in an ancient river with only a 45 year old male teacher with you, and accidentally ordering a "really fat person" instead of pork in a Spanish restaurant. These things happen, you know?
4. We take a lot of things for granted. Water, electricity, air conditioning, big houses, big cars, free wifi, comfortable beds, public restrooms, the list goes on.
5. Fashion is its own culture. And the Spanish are good at it. Spanish women, and even men, are some of the most well-dressed human beings I have ever laid eyes on--even at 11 A.M. on a Tuesday. They know how to dress. And note to self: It is NEVER acceptable to leave the house wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt in Spain. Just don't do it.
6. Americans are just as fat as they say we are. I saw virtually no obese people in Europe. I'm sure they exist, but they are a rare breed. Much different from a trip down to the local Wal-Mart here in good old 'Merica.
7. Traveling in Europe is much more advanced, and cheap, than here. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the majority of U.S. public transportation systems either don't exist or merely suck. We need to invest in high-speed trains and cheap flights. That is Europe in a nutshell.
8. There are some amazing people out there. We hear about all these terrible people in the media: terrorists, child rapists, and mass shooters. I'm here to tell you that they make up about 1% of the world's population. In many places, people are very friendly and willing to help. So don't let that 1% scare you from exploring.
9. Never say no to travel. Whether it's for a day, a weekend, a month, or five years--travel as much as you can. Never say no to an opportunity to travel. It is worth every second and every penny (or euro or pound or whatever form of currency best fits the situation).
10. I regret nothing. I would go back to Spain in a heartbeat. In fact, I know I'll be back. I've fallen in love with such a beautiful country, and there is so much more to be explored. Not only in Spain, but the rest of the world. At 20 years old, some may consider me well-traveled. But my friends, this is only just the beginning.
Monday, August 3, 2015
Friday, July 24, 2015
Why would you go to London by yourself?
Let me start off by saying I am safe and sound back in the United States. I know it's been a while since I've written, but my last few weeks in Spain were a bit crazy and chaotic. Now, to fill you all in. Where do I even begin? Sevilla: the hottest place I've ever been. Bought way too many clothes. Went to many cool places, including Granada, Amsterdam, and London. Spent my last weekend in London, and yes, I went by myself. Why did I go by myself?
This was a question I was asked by everyone: my parents, my friends, my teachers, and my host mom nearly had a cow. Honestly, I went to London by myself because I wasn't afraid to. So many people are afraid of big cities, afraid of being alone, afraid of having no one. And yes, I will admit to having these fears as well. But after spending two months in Europe I felt that I could take on a challenge and manage in a big city alone for a few days (It also helps that they speak English in the UK). And I can honestly say that I do not regret it, although at times I felt lonely or I wished someone was there, traveling alone is really something special and unique. It is hard to describe the feeling without actually experiencing it for yourself, but in all honesty, it made me more confident, forced me to figure out things and make decisions for myself, and it was extremely liberating. As a somewhat introverted person, traveling alone was just what I needed, as I was able to capture the entire world around me and drown in my own thoughts. This past weekend was absolutely perfect, as before I was starting to suffocate of both heat and homesickness in Sevilla, and finally I was able to breath again. And now, here I am, home at last.
After sleeping off the jet lag the past few days (I still feel off), my entire trip feels like a dream. Now I am just trying to record as much of it as I possibly can, for fear of my memory erasing it entirely. It seems so surreal that a week ago I was living an entirely different life, in a different country, eating different foods and speaking a different language. It all sounds silly but Spain really did make me open my eyes to an entirely new world out there. It amazes me that, although I feel as if I've traveled the world now, I've only just begun. I've only seen a glimpse of all that is out there. I know I will go back to Spain someday, and I hope that day comes soon. But I also hope to travel to even more places in the world, to experience even more cultures, to see even more things. For as I am happy to be home at last, I know that after resting I will once again desire to travel.
It is great to be reunited with my family, friends, and beloved macaroni and cheese, but I do miss Spain. I met some amazing people there who I will never forget, and both of my host families took me in and treated me as one of their own. I also learned things I never thought I would, both in the classroom and out of it. I cannot believe the time is up, as it feels like I never even left. However, I know time will really catch up to me when I have to go back to school in just a few weeks. Back to reality!
Here are some pictures from my last few weeks abroad, enjoy! Cannot wait to see you all soon!
This was a question I was asked by everyone: my parents, my friends, my teachers, and my host mom nearly had a cow. Honestly, I went to London by myself because I wasn't afraid to. So many people are afraid of big cities, afraid of being alone, afraid of having no one. And yes, I will admit to having these fears as well. But after spending two months in Europe I felt that I could take on a challenge and manage in a big city alone for a few days (It also helps that they speak English in the UK). And I can honestly say that I do not regret it, although at times I felt lonely or I wished someone was there, traveling alone is really something special and unique. It is hard to describe the feeling without actually experiencing it for yourself, but in all honesty, it made me more confident, forced me to figure out things and make decisions for myself, and it was extremely liberating. As a somewhat introverted person, traveling alone was just what I needed, as I was able to capture the entire world around me and drown in my own thoughts. This past weekend was absolutely perfect, as before I was starting to suffocate of both heat and homesickness in Sevilla, and finally I was able to breath again. And now, here I am, home at last.
After sleeping off the jet lag the past few days (I still feel off), my entire trip feels like a dream. Now I am just trying to record as much of it as I possibly can, for fear of my memory erasing it entirely. It seems so surreal that a week ago I was living an entirely different life, in a different country, eating different foods and speaking a different language. It all sounds silly but Spain really did make me open my eyes to an entirely new world out there. It amazes me that, although I feel as if I've traveled the world now, I've only just begun. I've only seen a glimpse of all that is out there. I know I will go back to Spain someday, and I hope that day comes soon. But I also hope to travel to even more places in the world, to experience even more cultures, to see even more things. For as I am happy to be home at last, I know that after resting I will once again desire to travel.
It is great to be reunited with my family, friends, and beloved macaroni and cheese, but I do miss Spain. I met some amazing people there who I will never forget, and both of my host families took me in and treated me as one of their own. I also learned things I never thought I would, both in the classroom and out of it. I cannot believe the time is up, as it feels like I never even left. However, I know time will really catch up to me when I have to go back to school in just a few weeks. Back to reality!
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| Amsterdam, Netherlands |
Here are some pictures from my last few weeks abroad, enjoy! Cannot wait to see you all soon!
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| La Alhambra, Granada, Spain |
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| Amsterdam, Netherlands |
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| London, United Kingdom |
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| Big Ben, London, United Kingdom |
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| Abbey Road, London, United Kingdom |
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| Wicked on Broadway, London, United Kingdom |
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| Me with my host mom Lola, Sevilla, Spain |
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| Amsterdam, Netherlands |
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| Las Setas, Sevilla, Spain |
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| London, United Kingdom |
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Sevilla: Historia y Más
Cheers to completing my first full week in Sevilla! While that may not seem like much, it is. I was warned time and time again about the heat in Sevilla, especially from the residents of Alicante. They told me I should just stay there and enjoy Spain while I can. Of course, I didn't listen to that advice and I still hauled my life to Sevilla, where I now reside for the next three weeks. And let me tell you, they were not lying.
Sevilla is the hottest city I have ever been to. Like, hotter than any city in the U.S., hotter than any city in Europe, hotter than any city ever. It's unbearably hot here. To make matters worse, we are subjected to exploring the city on foot in the strong southern Spain sun. What I have found here is basically this: you can leave your house between the hours of 11 P.M. and 10 A.M.
Any other time, during the day, stay inside. Seriously, don't go outside.
But really, Sevilla is not as bad as it sounds. While the heat is a lot to handle, it is still an incredibly beautiful city, with so much history. As one of the last Arab cities in Spain, it is really interesting to learn about all of the different buildings and their history, from the original Iberians to the Roman conquerors, to the Arab kings and the conquest of Ferdinand and Isabella, who can be thanked for all the Catholic people in Spain today. Since I'm a history guru, you can imagine just how interesting it is for me to explore the city and find so many historic landmarks, older than any of the buildings or places in the United States.
I am also taking a class here called "Art and Architecture in Sevilla," which is basically exactly as it sounds. We learn all about the art and architecture along with the history of Sevilla, and we get to visit lots of historic sites as well as museums in and around Sevilla. While art isn't exactly my forte, it is actually kind of cool to learn about something that is very relevant in the city I am living in.
This weekend was our first trip outside of Sevilla. We were supposed to go to the city of Córdoba, however, there was some type of religious mix-up and all of the buildings were closed there. So instead, we went to Arcos de la Frontera, which is a little white town south of Sevilla. When I say white town, that's what I mean: all of the buildings are white. It was an extremely beautiful and hilly town, and we got to explore inside the church and see all of the views. After exploring for a couple of hours, we headed to La Puerta de Santa Maria, a little beach town on the Atlantic Ocean near the city of Cádiz. We spent a few hours on the beach, however it was really difficult with all of the heat. Because of this, we basically stayed in the water the entire time. The other complication was the winds, because it was so windy that all of the sand blew everywhere and was extremely uncomfortable. Despite these complications, though, it ended up being a good trip.
Today is a really hot day here, with temperatures up in the 100s. Earlier this morning we went to the Real Alcázar of Sevilla, which was the palace of the Muslim kings in Sevilla. It was incredibly beautiful, especially outside in the gardens. People were also freaking out because apparently an episode of Game of Thrones was filmed there. I would probably freak out too if I watched Game of Thrones.
Anyway, despite the heat, I have survived my first week here in Sevilla and gotten a chance to see and learn about some parts of the beautiful and historic city. I already know when I leave I will want to come back and visit, however I will try to make that trip in the winter when it isn't 115 degrees outside.
¡Hasta Luego!
Sevilla is the hottest city I have ever been to. Like, hotter than any city in the U.S., hotter than any city in Europe, hotter than any city ever. It's unbearably hot here. To make matters worse, we are subjected to exploring the city on foot in the strong southern Spain sun. What I have found here is basically this: you can leave your house between the hours of 11 P.M. and 10 A.M.
Any other time, during the day, stay inside. Seriously, don't go outside.
But really, Sevilla is not as bad as it sounds. While the heat is a lot to handle, it is still an incredibly beautiful city, with so much history. As one of the last Arab cities in Spain, it is really interesting to learn about all of the different buildings and their history, from the original Iberians to the Roman conquerors, to the Arab kings and the conquest of Ferdinand and Isabella, who can be thanked for all the Catholic people in Spain today. Since I'm a history guru, you can imagine just how interesting it is for me to explore the city and find so many historic landmarks, older than any of the buildings or places in the United States.
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| Arcos de la Frontera |
This weekend was our first trip outside of Sevilla. We were supposed to go to the city of Córdoba, however, there was some type of religious mix-up and all of the buildings were closed there. So instead, we went to Arcos de la Frontera, which is a little white town south of Sevilla. When I say white town, that's what I mean: all of the buildings are white. It was an extremely beautiful and hilly town, and we got to explore inside the church and see all of the views. After exploring for a couple of hours, we headed to La Puerta de Santa Maria, a little beach town on the Atlantic Ocean near the city of Cádiz. We spent a few hours on the beach, however it was really difficult with all of the heat. Because of this, we basically stayed in the water the entire time. The other complication was the winds, because it was so windy that all of the sand blew everywhere and was extremely uncomfortable. Despite these complications, though, it ended up being a good trip.
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| Real Alcázar |
Anyway, despite the heat, I have survived my first week here in Sevilla and gotten a chance to see and learn about some parts of the beautiful and historic city. I already know when I leave I will want to come back and visit, however I will try to make that trip in the winter when it isn't 115 degrees outside.
¡Hasta Luego!
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Adiós Alicante, Hola Sevilla
I cannot believe how quickly my time in Alicante passed. What's even harder to believe is that I was able to fall in love with a city after only a month of living there. The scenery, the beach, the people, the classes, my host family: everything there could not have been more perfect. Of course, I was tearing up yesterday morning when I had to say goodbye to my host mom Lucia and my host sister Raquel. In such a short time, their family made me feel like Alicante was my home.
As inconvenient as it was, I had to leave Alicante during the middle of their most important (and crazy!) festival of the year: Las Hogueras. It's extremely difficult to explain just exactly what Hogueras is, you would just have to see it for yourself to fully understand. However, I will do my best. Hogueras is basically a festival that takes place every June in Alicante, where the people and neighborhoods contribute millions of dollars to build huge, colorful, artistic statues (shown to the right) to be placed throughout the city. During the week of Hogueras there are many fiestas and people are out partying pretty much all hours of the day and night (not kidding). Then, on the last day of Hogueras, all of the millions of dollars worth of beautiful statues are burned to the ground in "la quema," or the burning. I was lucky enough to be in Alicante for the first couple of days of Hogueras, but my host family was very sad I wouldn't be there to see la quema.
Anyway, it is now time for me to find my place in my new home, Sevilla. After only a day of being here, I really love my host mom. Her name is Lola and she is probably one of the coolest people I've met. Sevilla is one of the hottest cities in Spain, and can be up to 120 degrees in the summer time (I picked a great time to come here), but it is also one of the most beautiful. One downside: I was forced to say goodbye to spending every afternoon on the beach in Alicante. That I will really miss. However, Sevilla has a huge history and a culture to match, and I cannot wait to spend the next month here.
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| Las Hogueras |
Anyway, it is now time for me to find my place in my new home, Sevilla. After only a day of being here, I really love my host mom. Her name is Lola and she is probably one of the coolest people I've met. Sevilla is one of the hottest cities in Spain, and can be up to 120 degrees in the summer time (I picked a great time to come here), but it is also one of the most beautiful. One downside: I was forced to say goodbye to spending every afternoon on the beach in Alicante. That I will really miss. However, Sevilla has a huge history and a culture to match, and I cannot wait to spend the next month here.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Bienvenue à Paris
At times, it still feels like I'm living a dream here. Some days I wake up and I don't know where I am, but I soon realize again once my host mom knocks on my door saying "Kendal! El Desayuno!" (breakfast). Then, I realize how difficult it is to speak fluent Spanish in the morning.
As unreal as it feels, time is passing faster than I had ever dreamed of, and I only have a week longer in Alicante. Then, it's off to Sevilla for another month. Time flies so quickly here!
Apologies for not writing sooner, but I have basically been traveling my ass off (excuse my French). But speaking of France, I just spent the last weekend in Paris, France. Paris is a city that I (and pretty much everyone else) have always dreamed of going to, to see all of the famous sites and meet the ever-so-snobby French people. We left Alicante at like 5 in the morning on Friday, in order to get to Paris and still have a full day there. Once we got to Paris and took our stuff to the hostel, the people in charge basically said "here's a map of Paris! Have fun!" and we were given free time until later in the afternoon. For being from Iowa and having no idea how to work a big city metro system, I would say my friends and I figured it out pretty quickly. We did a bit of shopping before heading back to meet the program directors in Paris and finding out what else we were doing that weekend. Then, we went on a walking tour of the city (and I mean a TON of walking--Paris is HUGE!) and then got dinner at this cute little Bistro near Notre Dame. My friends and I decided that we had to see the Eiffel Tower the first night we were there, so we hopped on a metro and headed over to the other side of the city, where we drank wine, ate bread, and watched the Eiffel Tower through the sunset. I'm telling you, it couldn't have been more picture-perfect.
On Saturday we headed out early to the Louvre Museum, aka like the biggest art museum in the world, to see the Mona Lisa and the ancient Egyptians and Zeus and all his Ancient Greek friends. The Louvre is way too big to explore in one day, so we basically only got to see one wing of it. Then, we wandered around trying to find a non-touristy place to eat crepes, and stumbled upon a cute little diner with drinks and crepes for lunch. After lunch, we had designated activities where we got to see the less touristy side of Paris. My activity was La Recyclerie, which is an old train station on the edge of Paris that has been turned into a cute restaurant and garden, where the real hipsters of Paris can go to plant things and sell their DIY items. It was a really interesting place to go, but the neighborhood was a bit sketchy if you know what I mean.
Saturday night we went to this huge, really old restaurant where we had super French food: chicken and french fries. French fries are French, right? After that, we went to a hilarious one-man comedy show, put on by a native Parisian who basically makes fun of every single culture, including Paris. The show was called "How to Become Parisian in One Hour," and let me tell you, I was laughing my ass off the entire time (sorry again for the French, I guess it stuck with me over the weekend). Then, we decided to explore the town on Saturday night, and ended up finding a quaint little bar near the canal where there were no tourists. Of course, we stuck out like sore thumbs, because we are tourists. Also, did you know Parisian women don't wear dresses? Yeah, we didn't until then either. But they only wear pants.
Sunday we had the entire day with no planned activities, so we headed out of the hostel early to explore the city. We ended up walking basically the entire city, all while shopping and hitting the final sites we hadn't seen yet. Although my feet hurt now more than they ever have in my entire life, I must say that when I arrived home to Alicante around 1 in the morning, I felt pretty good about life. And then I slept for about 10 hours.
This last week is all back to reality, with a 12-page paper to complete, an oral presentation to give, and a final to take. Then, it will be time to celebrate with the Alicante festival de Hogeras, which are giant, expensive statues that are all over Alicante during the festival, only to be burned on the last day. The festival starts next weekend, so I will get to be here for the first couple days of it, before I head southwest to the extreme heat of Sevilla.
Some more pictures to share:
As unreal as it feels, time is passing faster than I had ever dreamed of, and I only have a week longer in Alicante. Then, it's off to Sevilla for another month. Time flies so quickly here!
Apologies for not writing sooner, but I have basically been traveling my ass off (excuse my French). But speaking of France, I just spent the last weekend in Paris, France. Paris is a city that I (and pretty much everyone else) have always dreamed of going to, to see all of the famous sites and meet the ever-so-snobby French people. We left Alicante at like 5 in the morning on Friday, in order to get to Paris and still have a full day there. Once we got to Paris and took our stuff to the hostel, the people in charge basically said "here's a map of Paris! Have fun!" and we were given free time until later in the afternoon. For being from Iowa and having no idea how to work a big city metro system, I would say my friends and I figured it out pretty quickly. We did a bit of shopping before heading back to meet the program directors in Paris and finding out what else we were doing that weekend. Then, we went on a walking tour of the city (and I mean a TON of walking--Paris is HUGE!) and then got dinner at this cute little Bistro near Notre Dame. My friends and I decided that we had to see the Eiffel Tower the first night we were there, so we hopped on a metro and headed over to the other side of the city, where we drank wine, ate bread, and watched the Eiffel Tower through the sunset. I'm telling you, it couldn't have been more picture-perfect.
On Saturday we headed out early to the Louvre Museum, aka like the biggest art museum in the world, to see the Mona Lisa and the ancient Egyptians and Zeus and all his Ancient Greek friends. The Louvre is way too big to explore in one day, so we basically only got to see one wing of it. Then, we wandered around trying to find a non-touristy place to eat crepes, and stumbled upon a cute little diner with drinks and crepes for lunch. After lunch, we had designated activities where we got to see the less touristy side of Paris. My activity was La Recyclerie, which is an old train station on the edge of Paris that has been turned into a cute restaurant and garden, where the real hipsters of Paris can go to plant things and sell their DIY items. It was a really interesting place to go, but the neighborhood was a bit sketchy if you know what I mean.
Saturday night we went to this huge, really old restaurant where we had super French food: chicken and french fries. French fries are French, right? After that, we went to a hilarious one-man comedy show, put on by a native Parisian who basically makes fun of every single culture, including Paris. The show was called "How to Become Parisian in One Hour," and let me tell you, I was laughing my ass off the entire time (sorry again for the French, I guess it stuck with me over the weekend). Then, we decided to explore the town on Saturday night, and ended up finding a quaint little bar near the canal where there were no tourists. Of course, we stuck out like sore thumbs, because we are tourists. Also, did you know Parisian women don't wear dresses? Yeah, we didn't until then either. But they only wear pants.
Sunday we had the entire day with no planned activities, so we headed out of the hostel early to explore the city. We ended up walking basically the entire city, all while shopping and hitting the final sites we hadn't seen yet. Although my feet hurt now more than they ever have in my entire life, I must say that when I arrived home to Alicante around 1 in the morning, I felt pretty good about life. And then I slept for about 10 hours.
This last week is all back to reality, with a 12-page paper to complete, an oral presentation to give, and a final to take. Then, it will be time to celebrate with the Alicante festival de Hogeras, which are giant, expensive statues that are all over Alicante during the festival, only to be burned on the last day. The festival starts next weekend, so I will get to be here for the first couple days of it, before I head southwest to the extreme heat of Sevilla.
Some more pictures to share:
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| The Opera House- Phantom of the Opera |
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| Tiffany Paris |
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| Entrance to La Louvre |
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| Lock I put on the bridge with our initials |
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| Mona Lisa |
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| Notre Dame |
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| Tour Eiffel |
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| Tour Eiffel |
Sunday, May 31, 2015
¡Hola de España!
At last, my study abroad journey in Spain has begun and I have already been in Alicante for a week now! Time flies when you are having fun. In the past 168 hours I have done more than I do in a month in the United States. There is just so much to do here with so little time! I must say, the actual experience of getting here was less than ideal. The flight was very long and I did not sleep at all. In fact, the first few days here, I experienced some extreme jet lag / homesickness, and did not sleep for 3 days! Thankfully I passed that stage, and was finally able to get onto somewhat of a regular sleeping schedule.
I arrived in Alicante on Monday afternoon, after nearly 24 hours of traveling. Monday night, we began our orientation with CIEE, the study abroad program that I am in. Then, we (meaning all of the international students here) went out for tapas, which are traditional Spanish appetizers. As worried as I was about the food here, I have liked about 90% of things I have tried! This includes peppers, lots of fruits, and turkey neck (yes, you read that correctly). My parents would be so proud!!
Classes began on Wednesday, and I had to remind myself that I am actually here to take classes, and not just for a vacation. The class I am taking in Alicante is called Wine and Gastronomy in the Mediterranean, and it is very interesting. The class contains a ton of content in such a short amount of time, with a large paper, oral presentation, and final included. In the class we learn all about food and drink production in all of the different regions of Spain. It is very interesting, and also very practical to know when ordering food at a restaurant here!
In the past week, I have gone to two different beaches. Let me just tell you, the beaches here are AWESOME! The sand is so soft and the water is so clear and blue. I could literally spend every single day at the beach if I wanted to. And the beaches are so close; one of them is only a 15 minute walk from my house. The beach I went to today is about a 30 minute train ride away, and it is huge! However, the sun here is so much stronger than the sun in Iowa, and I actually got my first real sunburn ever. So if you go to Spain, don't forget SUNSCREEN!
I have also visited many other sites with the other students here. Last Thursday, we visited El Castillo de Santa Barbara, which is the huge castle right in town. It was a lot of hiking and climbing! However, when we got to the top of the castle, the view of the city and the sea was absolutely spectacular. It was definitely worth the long hike. Then, yesterday we took a day trip to Guadalest, which is a small town in the mountains. There we saw another castle and a mansion-like house. The view was absolutely breathtaking and we were lucky enough to eat lunch at the castle. After that, we went to Las Fuentes del Algar, which is a spring in the mountains with beautiful waterfalls. We even got to jump off of one! However, the water was absolutely freezing, and I was not able to stay in it for long. Both sites were very beautiful though, and I got some amazing pictures!
So far my experience in Spain has been outstanding. The family I live with is very nice, and surprisingly I am able to communicate well with them. I have gotten the chance to go to El Barrio a couple of nights, which is an area full of bars and restaurants here. All of the food and drinks here are relatively cheap, and it is nice because the drinking age is 18, so we can have wine and sangría and anything else our hearts desire!
In general, Spaniards are so much more relaxed than Americans. Time here is a loose concept, and the meals and food are their own complete lifestyle. It is so nice to just relax and let loose for once. Even with classes, everything here is just so much more calm and happens at a slower pace. I would say that is one of the best parts of being here. I cannot believe a week has passed since I got to Alicante, and yet it already feels like home. Me gusta España mucho.
Below are some pictures of my experience so far. Enjoy!
I arrived in Alicante on Monday afternoon, after nearly 24 hours of traveling. Monday night, we began our orientation with CIEE, the study abroad program that I am in. Then, we (meaning all of the international students here) went out for tapas, which are traditional Spanish appetizers. As worried as I was about the food here, I have liked about 90% of things I have tried! This includes peppers, lots of fruits, and turkey neck (yes, you read that correctly). My parents would be so proud!!
Classes began on Wednesday, and I had to remind myself that I am actually here to take classes, and not just for a vacation. The class I am taking in Alicante is called Wine and Gastronomy in the Mediterranean, and it is very interesting. The class contains a ton of content in such a short amount of time, with a large paper, oral presentation, and final included. In the class we learn all about food and drink production in all of the different regions of Spain. It is very interesting, and also very practical to know when ordering food at a restaurant here!
In the past week, I have gone to two different beaches. Let me just tell you, the beaches here are AWESOME! The sand is so soft and the water is so clear and blue. I could literally spend every single day at the beach if I wanted to. And the beaches are so close; one of them is only a 15 minute walk from my house. The beach I went to today is about a 30 minute train ride away, and it is huge! However, the sun here is so much stronger than the sun in Iowa, and I actually got my first real sunburn ever. So if you go to Spain, don't forget SUNSCREEN!
I have also visited many other sites with the other students here. Last Thursday, we visited El Castillo de Santa Barbara, which is the huge castle right in town. It was a lot of hiking and climbing! However, when we got to the top of the castle, the view of the city and the sea was absolutely spectacular. It was definitely worth the long hike. Then, yesterday we took a day trip to Guadalest, which is a small town in the mountains. There we saw another castle and a mansion-like house. The view was absolutely breathtaking and we were lucky enough to eat lunch at the castle. After that, we went to Las Fuentes del Algar, which is a spring in the mountains with beautiful waterfalls. We even got to jump off of one! However, the water was absolutely freezing, and I was not able to stay in it for long. Both sites were very beautiful though, and I got some amazing pictures!
So far my experience in Spain has been outstanding. The family I live with is very nice, and surprisingly I am able to communicate well with them. I have gotten the chance to go to El Barrio a couple of nights, which is an area full of bars and restaurants here. All of the food and drinks here are relatively cheap, and it is nice because the drinking age is 18, so we can have wine and sangría and anything else our hearts desire!
In general, Spaniards are so much more relaxed than Americans. Time here is a loose concept, and the meals and food are their own complete lifestyle. It is so nice to just relax and let loose for once. Even with classes, everything here is just so much more calm and happens at a slower pace. I would say that is one of the best parts of being here. I cannot believe a week has passed since I got to Alicante, and yet it already feels like home. Me gusta España mucho.
Below are some pictures of my experience so far. Enjoy!
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| La Playa de Postiguet |
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| El Castillo de Santa Barbara |
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| Guadalest |
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| Guadalest |
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| Flores de Guadalest |
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| El Lago de Guadalest |
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| El Castell de Guadalest |
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| Las Fuentes del Algar |
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| Las Fuentes del Algar |
Saturday, May 23, 2015
A Journey Awaits
Six months ago the thought of leaving the United States to attend school in a different country had never even crossed my mind. I've been pretty content here in good ol' Iow-ay. As an 18-year-old getting ready to attend the University of Iowa just two short years ago, I tuned out the overly excited and in-your-face student volunteers constantly advising me to "Study abroad! It will be the best semester of your life!" As far as I was concerned, my days of foreign culture were left behind in an AP Spanish classroom as soon as I walked across the graduation stage and received my diploma. I would never need to know how to conjugate the verb "ser" again.
However, as I've accelerated through my various political science and economics courses, and realized that I only have three semesters left until I graduate (December 2016), it eventually dawned on me that after I receive my bachelor's degree and head off to law school, I will (most likely) never get an opportunity to live and take classes in a foreign country again. So, back in January, I braved the icy cold weather and headed over to the Study Abroad office, with no idea what to expect. At this point, I didn't even know whether or not I wanted to study abroad, and if I did, I certainly wasn't sure where I wanted to go. The student working at the time set me down on a table with hundreds of brochures to look at. The opportunities were endless. What about Portugal? Wait, I don't speak Portuguese. I've heard Australia is nice--but then I can't easily travel to other countries. Hey, why not hit up Latin America? Eh, I really want to visit the many countries of Europe. Well, if we're looking at Europe, I (sort of) speak Spanish, so I guess Spain? Yeah, sure, Spain sounds like a nice place to go.
At this point, I was overwhelmed and still had no idea if I even wanted to go anywhere. I mentioned possibly Spain to the front desk, which they took very seriously and set me up with an advisor. Okay, I thought, I'll actually get to talk to someone. So, the next week I met with the awesome Study Abroad advisor for Spain (shoutout to Aubree!) and at that point there was no turning back. She set me up with all of the applications, and next step instructions. I walked out of the office that day feeling like a different person--wow, I was actually going to be studying abroad. And here I was just the week before, wandering into the Study Abroad office like a lost puppy.
After speaking with some of the most important people in my life (i.e. my parents, my boyfriend, etc.) it was decided that I was really doing this. I was really going to Spain in just four short months. All I had to do was send in my application, get a passport, save up some money, and get through the semester. It didn't feel real. And to be honest, it still doesn't.
So here I am, done with the semester (and a solid 4.0), with my suitcase packed and waiting by the door. I have my passport, my travel adaptor, and my Spanish pocket dictionary ready to go. My flight leaves from Chicago tomorrow, where I will then make my way to Madrid, and finally to my destination in Alicante. In all reality, I have absolutely no idea what to expect. I expect to learn and to travel and to more than likely embarrass myself at some point, but to come back as a different person (in a good way of course!). But honestly, my biggest goal is to keep an open mind and explore as much as I possibly can.
So here's to the start of my journey--one that began unexpectedly, and will hopefully keep me consistently surprised along the way. I cannot wait to share my experiences with all of my friends and family, and this blog will help in doing just that. I hope to post at least once a week, between all of my classes, new friends, and traveling. So stay tuned for more updates to come, and hopefully pictures along with it!
¡Adiós, y viajes seguros!
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