Chapter 4: confidently lost

song: live like there’s no tomorrow Hello wonderful people! I am writing to you from a place of peace and sending you waves of positive energy. Do you know how people say studying abroad will change you? Well, when I first heard that, I failed to realize that studying abroad can only change you if …

Chapter 3: the beauty around us

semana 2 – 11/09/2022 song: blow away ¡Hola a todos! ¡Happy Catalan National Day! On September 11, 1714, Barcelona fell to the Bourbon Dynasty Forces and this defeat is celebrated as Catalonia’s National Day. Week two is officially in the books. After a week of adjusting to jetlag, making new friends, and learning the best …

Chapter 2: Adjustment Period

song: Unwritten Hello wonderful people! I am writing to you from mi dormitorio after a jam-packed first week. Now when I say jam-packed, I mean in a good way because I completed orientation, started classes, took a Gothic tour, and went on a class trip to the beautiful city of Tarragona! At times, I still …

Chapter 1: The Arrival

songs: Butterfly Fly Away meets The Party’s Just Begun WOW, so this is really happening! As my departure date draws closer, I continue to feel emotions that I did not expect. My feelings range from excitement to disbelief to hesitation to happiness then anxious to ecstatic…the list goes on. But, as my wise mother told …

Goodbye in Barcelona

At the start of the month, my friends and I made plans to take one last trip together to Barcelona, Spain. Like many of the places I’ve visited this semester, I was taken with it in ways I never anticipated. For Barcelona specifically, the architecture and the atmosphere it created was particularly enchanting. Of course, …

When The Moon Hits Your Eye🎶

After recently accepting a summer job, a new on-campus position for the Fall, and getting back into applying for research grants, it’s becoming more and more evident how little time I have left on my study abroad journey. One month from today marks the official end of my program, though I will be staying one …

Practice the Pause

Now that I’ve wrapped up midterms, I’m noticing some changes within myself and my worldviews. Of course, like any other semester, this first half has not been entirely sunshine and rainbows. However, the moments in which I’ve paused, reflected, and appreciated the world around me have provoked such rewarding feelings that any challenges are outweighed. …

Tips for Weekend Travel

I remember reading off-campus student blogs from years prior who shared how easy it is to travel on the weekends. They would sit in a café on a Monday and plan where in the world they’d like to visit on that upcoming weekend. True, I’ve found myself doing the same thing— enjoying a chai while …

A Rooftop Epiphany

Last night, two of my friends and I sat on the rooftop of my apartment building, looked up at the stars, and had a long talk. We shared about what our lives looked like before departing for Spain, our career choices, our goals and dreams for the future, and more. Before leaving for Spain, I …

Recent Excursions in Spain

In my first post, I shared how my host sister gave me a list of places that were must-sees while I am here in Spain. I have only been in Spain for a month and I’m already starting to check some things off my bucket list. This weekend and last weekend, I’ve gone on a …