A Parisian Getaway

It’s been well over a month since I’ve been back now, and every day I think about how much my semester abroad changed my life.  Before, I was a traveler, taking in the sights and the experiences and creating memories.  Now I’ve become a storyteller, relaying my experiences through words and photos.  While it’s good to be home, I miss being a traveler, I miss collecting European memories!

One of the most eventful trips- Paris. The one that stole my heart more than I believed it would.  Here’s the story-

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Exploring Málaga

Málaga in November? I should have brought my bathing suit honestly, because Málaga is beautiful all year round.  After 3 months of living in Granada, I’d spent a lot of time in Málaga’s bus station and airport, but I’d never taken the time to visit the city itself.  And wow am I glad I did.  Here are some pictures from the day trip Maggie and I took to Málaga.

Breaking Up With Your Semester Abroad

It was love at first sight, a whirlwind adventure.  It was long walks along the beach and late night churro dates.  It was running carefree through castles and jet-setting every weekend.  It was the experience of a lifetime, it was my semester abroad.

What to Know if You’re Studying Abroad in Granada: My Goodbye Blog

 

Today I packed up my room. Today I walked down Calle San Anton and Recogidas and Puentezuelas for the last time.  Today I said goodbye to the city that’s become my home.

I’ve been reflecting back on how much of a whirlwind this semester really was.  I’ve seen so much, I’ve done so much, and most importantly, I’ve learned so much.  I’ve learned so much about myself and who I want to be and how I can handle situations on my own and in foreign countries and without being able to speak the native language, and those are skills you can only acquire by traveling for an extended period of time.

That being said, I want to share these things I’ve learned with people who are not only going to study in Granada, but visit Granada in general.  I think these are all some pretty good tips for someone planning on visiting the city that was voted the most beautiful in Spain (according to an ambiguous Facebook source, of course).

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.

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.

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.