Afternoon in Milan

For the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be posting about the big trip we took to Italy this semester.  At the end of October, 8 of us took a trip to Italy- Milan, Cinque Terre, and Florence.  It was an absolute whirlwind of a weekend, and I’m so excited to reflect back on this weekend and share some stories.

So let’s start with our afternoon in Milan.

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3 Weeks Left in Granada?!

SOS. I have 3 weeks left in Granada. THREE WEEKS.  Where did the time go?  I swear I just got on the plane to come here like, yesterday? And now December is right around the corner, the semester is almost over, and somehow, I am coming to the end of this study abroad adventure.

What am I Thankful For?

Back in the U.S., families everywhere are preparing for Thanksgiving and family gatherings and stuffing themselves full… And I’m across the world (not a bad deal).  Tomorrow, instead of sitting around the dinner table with my family, I’ll be heading to the airport, off on my next great adventure.  I’ve got so much to be thankful for, as it seems like the last 3 months have been a dream.

Cousin’s Weekend in Barcelona!

How is it the middle of November? Where have the last 3 months gone? I don’t know, and that’s freaking me out! Since August, I’ve seen 5 countries, 22 cities (more or less, at this point, I could be forgetting a few), 6 UNESCO world heritage sites, and had hundreds of bowls of gelato.

But all my nostalgia aside, last month my cousin Lydia and I met up in Barcelona, and had so much fun.  We spent the 3 days walking and talking and just exploring the city by foot.  We got to see Gaudi’s Park Güell, the outside of the Sagrada Familia, and spend time walking along the beach.  It was such a fun weekend, and so nice getting to see my cousin while I’m out here.

Playing With the Monkeys in Gibraltar!

Want to hear about the most amazing 5 hours of my life?  It starts with a rickety caravan, makes its way to a giant cavernous amphitheater, and ends with a pack of monkeys jumping from tree to tree, over our vans, trying to open the car doors because they could smell our food.

And it.

Was.

Awesome.

Why Your Vote Matters

(Picture taken from the AIFS Granada facebook page)

Before I got to Spain, I was told not to talk about two things: religion and politics… The religion thing has gone without a hitch, but these Spaniards, they love talking about American politics. I found myself talking with the students in the residencia and they were so fascinated with our election process, so with the election staring us right in the face, I thought I’d share my thoughts and things I’ve observed about American politics since I’ve been here.

Mi Amor Sevilla

You can’t spend a semester in Andalucía without visiting the capital of Sevilla, which luckily we got to do with our program!  So a few weeks back, I got to spend a weekend in Sevilla and get a brief look at all the highlights of this Andalusian capital.

I’m so lucky to live in Spain, I think of that every single day. Every single city I go to is amazing, from Barcelona to Granada and everywhere in between, I can’t believe I’m over halfway done with my semester.

3 Hours in Córdoba

Córdoba is one of those cities that is absolutely bathed in history, from the walkways to the buildings to the bridges to the view of the city, you can feel just how old Córdoba is. Any Game of Thrones enthusiasts will like the fact that there are some scenes of the show filmed here, and any history enthusiast will appreciate the fact that the whole city of Córdoba is actually a UNESCO world heritage site, preserving it’s historical value.

Spanish National Cycling Day

When I was told we were going on a bike tour through Madrid’s city center, my thought was “lol… no…” Riding a bike through the capital of Spain in the middle of the day seemed like a death wish for someone who hasn’t ridden a bike in 6 years.

Until I found out it was National Cycling Day in Spain.

Which meant that there were no cars allowed to drive through city center.

Major. Game. Changer.

A Weekend In Madrid

The capital of Spain, the point from which all distances in the country are measured, Madrid is quite the city to see.  As always, exploring the city in one full day is such a whirlwind, but here are some highlights from my weekend in Madrid!