Toledo

It feels like my time in Spain is flying by. I can’t believe it’s already October, I’ve already been here a month, I’ve already visited so many places, and I know I still have so much time left, but it’s going to go by so quickly.

I started school this week so it’s been a lot with adjusting to a new schedule, traveling on the weekends, and of course, getting sick. As I sit in the hotel room in Seville recovering from a sinus/ ear infection, I’m reflecting back on last weekend’s trip to Toledo and Madrid (post to come). It’s such a whirlwind of places and sights and cathedrals and museums and buses… It can be hard to keep up sometimes.

That being said, here’s a little bit of our brief visit to Toledo.

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Bohemia Jazz Café

Last week marked the end of my intensive Spanish program and also the completion of my first month living Spain!

7 Things

This week I’ve compiled a list of 7 things that have made me happy or brought me joy in some way-

The Homesick Blues

This week was hard, I’m not even going to lie.  Granada is as beautiful as ever, I’m learning more and more every day, but that doesn’t mean every day is going to be the best day ever.

Up until this week, I hadn’t really spent a lot of time pining over home or missing anything in particular. But, while we all have bad days and bad weeks, the best way to get over it is to create a positive mindset.

In all honesty, I am still in my funk and I hope writing this gets me out of it, but I’ll let you know!

Lagos, Portugal: Home Away from Home?

This weekend I went to Portugal for the first time! It was such an amazing experience and I’m so glad I got to go with all the new friends I’ve made since I’ve been in Spain.

Here’s a run down of my three days in Lagos, Portugal, complete with awesome grottos, cliffside sunsets, and lots of sunshine.

Spending Sunday in the Oldest District in Granada

On Sundays in Granada, nearly everything shuts down.  It’s the day off for small shop owners, and there’s a law dictating that big businesses close as well to preserve the small shop industry within the city.  That left us with a day off, no plans, and not a lot of options.

Sitting around felt like a waste of a day when I think about the fact that I fly home in 97 days, so my friends and I decided to spend our afternoon walking through the Albaicín, the old Moorish district in Granada.  And boy, am I glad we did.

A Day at the Alhambra

 

I didn’t think I could possibly love Spain anymore.  Every morning I walk out my door surrounded by the most amazing architecture.  I go to school in buildings that are centuries old and I’m surrounded by gelato on every street corner. EVERY. CORNER.  Life can’t get any better.

Or so I thought.

This morning my group and I toured the famous Alhambra, which is a mere 10 minute walk away from my residencia. TEN MINUTES. I live ten minutes away from the oldest monument in Spain and that blows my mind.

Study Abroad Pros & Cons: What I’ve Learned in my First week

Studying abroad is an amazing privilege, one that less than 10 percent of U.S. college students actually take advantage of.  The opportunity to get college credit in a foreign country, learn a new language, and immerse myself in a new and different culture was an opportunity I knew I couldn’t pass up.

That being said, there are pros and cons to anything you do, at any point in your life.  So here’s a list of the Pros and Cons I’ve experienced in the week I’ve spent in Granada, España.

How I Made the Most of Two Days in London

48 hours, a free room, and instructions to be in the lobby at 9 a.m. the next morning… Now what?

Traveling with a group of other students, I assumed there’d be plenty of planned events and excursions, and to my pleasant surprise I was wrong.  That being said, I had 2 days in London, and no earthly idea what I wanted to do.  So here’s how my friends and I made the most of our time in the U.K., as well as some tips for anyone on a budget!

Last Hike of Summer

There’s a lot of things I wanted to do before the end of summer, including going on more hikes.  My favorite hike (shoutout to Carlie) is called White Face, a hike full of climbing and sliding and AMAZING views.  This was my last hike of the summer, and here are some pictures we took; though keep in mind nothing does justice to the real thing.