Spain Study Abroad

FIRST WEEKS IN SPAIN

It has officially been two weeks since I arrived in Alicante, Spain and to say this was one of the best decision of my lifetime is an understatement. Alicante is home to the most beautiful scenery, people and culture. Everywhere I look and every new corner I turn I am amazed by the beauty and energetic atmosphere this city contains.

Moving across the world for 5 months is a huge and very intimidating decision. Also add on the fact that your the only one from your school coming to this city can be a little frightening . However, the people in my program and who I have met throughout Alicante have been nothing but beyond welcoming. It has only been two weeks and I feel like I have known the other students and the faculty in my program for a life time. This program has given me the opportunity to meet some of the most amazing and kindest new people.

During my time in Spain I am living with a host family which can sound a little nerve racking considering all of a sudden you are living and eating every meal with people you have never met . But, my host family is the sweetest and most down to earth couple I have ever met. My host mom truly takes care of me as if I was one of her own. They have made sure that I was happy and comfortable in their home since the day that I walked in their door. Living with a host family so far is my favorite part of this experience because I truly feel immersed in the Spanish culture and language. My host family speaks absolutely no english so everyday I am improving my Spanish dramatically.  My host family also makes the most amazing food and I have already had the chance to try so many new and delicious Spanish meals!

Although it has only been two weeks I can feel my time here in Spain going by so quickly and I know that I am never going to want to leave! 

 

NEW SPRING 2018 BLOGGER!

Check Back Soon To Read The Blogs Of Our Spring 2018 Spain Study Abroad Student, Jessica!

 

A Bittersweet End

The last month has been filled with Spring break travels and 3,000-word papers, but I figured now that I have a week left abroad, it's a good time to break my silence with a blog post. I cannot put into words how excited but heartbroken I am knowing that in just one week I'll be waking up in New Jersey. It's finally starting to hit me that in just one short week, my study abroad experience will live on only through my memories. Now that my time here is coming to an end, I can't deny there are a lot of things I'm excited to go back to in the United States. I have to say, the little things start to add up. Here's a list of what I've been missing here in Spain since January:

1. My dogs.

    This shouldn't be a shock to anyone who knows me. I often FaceTime my family just so I can see the dogs.

2. My parents.

3. Ranch dressing.

4. Buffalo wings.

5. Strollo's Italian Ice.

6. Bagels.

    Okay, so obviously I miss American food the most.

7. Driving.

    But since my license is somewhere lost in Barcelona, I won't be doing much driving once I get home.

8. Going to concerts.

9. American showers.

    Okay, so this one isn't quite as big of a deal. In my homestay, you have to turn the water off while you wash your hair and body. I totally understand saving water and saving money, but I do miss just standing under the hot water. Like I said, it's the little things.

10. Playing piano and guitar.

11. My full-size bed.

12. My friends at SHU.

13. Speaking English.

14. Taking classes in English.

    To all my friends at home who are complaining about how hard all these final exams and papers are, imagine doing everything you're doing in another language. Yup. 10 page papers for each class, all written in Spanish. You think you're stressed?

15. Having cell service.

    Even though wifi is available in a lot of public places, I miss the convenience behind being able to pick up the phone wherever I am and making a phone call.

 

    But, I know after just one week of being back in the U.S, I'll be tempted to start searching for flights back to Spain. Here is a list of things I'll miss about studying abroad:

1. My host family.

    I'm not kidding when I say staying with a host family is like having your parents at college, without any rules. My host mom prepares every meal for me (breakfast, lunch and dinner), does my laundry for me and makes my bed. She packs me a bagged lunch everyday for school, along with a juice box. Yep, I get all of these perks, and she doesn't get mad when I come in late at night. It's the best of both worlds. It's also worth noting my host mom is quite possibly the sweetest woman to walk the planet. I don't know what I'm going to do without her.

2. My friends.

    I love that I've made friends from all over the country. From Texas to Chicago, Minnesota to Maryland or San Francisco to Pennsylvania, my friends are spread across the map. I've learned how different people are within my own country, let alone around the world. However, it's bittersweet. I can't even think about the day I'll have to part ways with them. See y'all at Iowa Penn State game ;)

3. Bocadillos.

    My host mom's sandwiches are heaven sent.

4. Paella.

5. Nutella crepes from Borgonesse.

    AKA the best gelato place ever.

6. Casual weekend trips around Europe.

7. All the dogs of Alicante.

    If you're friends with me on Snapchat I'm sure you've seen how dog friendly this city is. I mean, there are pups around every corner! It's my own personal heaven.

8. Walking down the Explanada.

    

9. Spanish music.

    I'd also like to take this time to tell everyone that "Despacito" is NOT a Justin Bieber song. The song was way cooler before Bieber got involved.

10. Daily siestas.

11. Beach days after class.

12. El barrio.

    A land filled with big buckets of alcohol for three euros.

13. Being of legal drinking age in general.

    This will be the longest summer of my life as a twenty year old.

14. Speaking Spanish.

    I'm going to have to talk everyday with my Puerto Rican grandmother so that I don't lose my fluency.

15. Not having cell service.

    As annoying as it is sometimes not having cell connection, I feel like I've gradually become less dependent on my phone. I'm definitely not as attached as I am in the United States. There's something really liberating about being totally disconnected.

I am so eternally grateful for this experience. Thank you to my parents who made this entire semester possible and for still loving me even when my bank account was empty. Thank you to my Spanish parents for loving me as if I was one of their own and giving me the home away from home that I prayed for. Thank you to my friends for providing me with a semester full of laughter, memories and cheap drunken nights at Parabarap. I will miss you more than you'll ever know. It's going to be really hard keeping it together this last week, knowing that a piece of my heart will live forever in Alicante. Until next time, the good life has finally come to an end, and I'll see ya on the other side of the pond.

Halfway there...

Well, I have decided it's finally time to muster up the energy and break my silence with a blog post. I have been living in Europe now for seven weeks, and I never want to leave. I have seen so many places and met so many people that I never want to let go of. It breaks my heart to think that we've reached the end of another month and now I'm almost half way done with this trip.

Thus far, I've ventured out of the country only once and went to Amsterdam the first weekend of February. I saw the Anne Frank house, did the Heineken experience and ate way too many crepes. While it was refreshing to be somewhere where my native language was widely spoken, and the scenery was obviously beautiful, this experience sort of reminded me how lucky I am in Alicante. Paying for every meal in Amsterdam really took a toll on the ol' bank account, and I missed the "bocadillos" my host mom had prepared for me everyday in Spain. In some ways, I felt a little out of place in Amsterdam, but I am glad to have visited. Once I left for a weekend, I actually found myself missing the home base I created in Alicante.

Since this excursion, we've stayed in Spain every weekend. We traveled to Calpe one weekend and hiked Peñon de Ifach, a beautiful natural park here in the province of Alicante. Every second of that four hour hike I was reminded how out of shape I am. We also went to Madrid for a weekend, which I found to be a lot like New York city. There were big stores like H&M and McDonald's restaurants on every corner. The only difference is no one seemed to be in a rush like they are in the big apple. It actually really tested my patience.

This past weekend we got to see the Spanish take on Carnaval, which essentially, in Alicante is Halloween on steroids. Everyone runs around in elaborate costumes, high on life (and I'm sure some other things, too), celebrating this interesting holiday that we ironically learned nothing about. There is music, fireworks and food trucks serving the best fried food until the late hours of the night. When I say late hours of the night, I mean I literally got home at 8 AM the next morning. My friend Michele and I were trying to figure out the whole tradition behind dressing up. "Maybe they're warding off spirits by dressing up.." "No, no. Maybe...maybe they are trying to blend in with the demons?" "This is a religious holiday, right?" Turns out, they just dress up for fun. Yep. It's that simple. I love Spain.

While there have been brief moments of homesickness, I can honestly say that leaving this place is going to be the hardest thing I'll ever have to do. I am the happiest I've ever been here. It's as if someone painted a permanent grin on my face. If I could, I would simply uproot the things I miss most about home (my parents, my dogs and my pork roll) and bring them here to live with me forever. I genuinely never understood the hype surrounding study abroad. It's something I always saw myself doing but I never expected to grow this attached to a country, to a new group of friends and to a new lifestyle. To say that Alicante has become my home away from home would be an understatement. I've already begun looking for opportunities, or excuses, really, to stay here for as long as I possibly can. Until my next blog, the good life continues.

Crepes in Amsterdam

The Heineken Experience, Amsterdam

Peñon de Ifach, Calpe

Obligatory sorority pose, Calpe

Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid

Palacio Real de Madrid

Las chicas before Carnaval, Alicante

 

"I forgot we were in Spain for a second."

It has officially been ten days since I moved  to Spain, and I'm still waiting for this grand moment. You know, everyone says they have this moment where it "hits" them, and it starts to feel real. I'm fortunate enough to say that this transition has been so easy that there hasn't been a single moment where reality came out of nowhere and blindsided me. I have felt so at home from the very start. As cliché as it sounds, I've already made a home out of Alicante and it came so naturally.

After spending the night meeting other people in my program, my host mom picked me up on Tuesday. I was most nervous about my homestay. I would be living with this woman and her family for four months; if I didn't like them, it would be a miserable semester. I was delighted to find that I had been blessed with the most adorable, little Spanish woman I had ever met. Right off the bat, she called me "cariño," (which means honey, or darling) like I was one of her own. I was nervous about communicating with her as well, but she reassured me that she would clarify any confusion I had, and speak slowly. I already feel my Spanish improving and it hasn't even been two weeks!

If you know me, you know I can be extremely picky. My diet is comparable to that of an 8-year-old's. That means chicken nuggets, mac n' cheese, and a lot of ketchup. So, you could say I was a little anxious about what I would be eating here. However, my first meal at home, to my surprise was chicken, french fries, and ...wait for it... yep, you guessed it- KETCHUP. A huge bottle of it! Obviously, this wouldn't be what I ate for every meal. But it was comforting to see that my host mom, Paqui, was doing what she could to make sure I transitioned easily.

Additionally, if you know me, you know how much I love the beach. Being born and raised on the Jersey shore, I have the natural tendency to gravitate towards the sand and the sea. I typically avoid city-like places. The noise gives me a headache, and I hate big crowds. However, Alicante happens to be the perfect mix of city and sea. I'm only a short walk to both the city area and the beachfront. The city is small, but to me, it's the perfect size. I'm beginning to see familiar faces with every new day. And it's definitely worth noting that this city is extremely dog-friendly, which is something that is super important to me. I'm not kidding when I say I see dogs everywhere I go. Shout out to my pups at home, I miss you endlessly.

And finally, if you know me, you know how much I love music. While I'll be without my beloved piano and guitar for the next few months, I get to escape the annoying, "guilty pleasure" pop music of the states. I have always been that friend with a secret love for Enrique Iglesias, that puts on reggaeton music at the pregame. And almost as soon as I put the latino music on, it gets shut down. But here, I am thriving. The Spanish music is everywhere! It's the kind of music where you just can't resist dancing. I've already began learning the words after hearing these songs at the bars and on the radio. To my friends, I know you can't wait for me to bring all of these amazing reggaeton songs back to the U.S.! 

I have to admit, I expected a few mental breakdowns by now. I mean, I completely uprooted and moved to Europe for crying out loud. I know it's still early, but I have yet to feel impacted by that stereotypical rollercoaster of emotions that I am supposed to be feeling. I feel at home here. At one point, while sitting on the tram with a new friend, Laura, she looked over at me and said, "I forgot we were in Spain for a second." As ridiculous as this sounds, it's so true. I think I need to stop waiting for this spectacular moment of inspiration, and just live. I dove headfirst into this experience and I'm swimming just fine, and that is something to be grateful for. I am blessed to say that everything fell into place perfectly and I could not be more excited to explore this beautiful country over the next few months. Until my next blog, I'll be here enjoying the good life.

El Paseo de la Explanada, Alicante

Alicante Harbor, Alicante

The view from the Castillo de Santa Barbara, Alicante

Scarlett and I taking in the view from the Castillo de Santa Barbara, Alicante

NEW SPRING 2017 BLOGGERS!

Check Back Soon To Read The Blogs Of Our Spring 2017 Spain Study Abroad Students, Leah & Diana!

Breaking My Silence

It has been a while since I've written a blog, however I can assure you it's for a good reason. Since my last blog post, I have visited 3 countries, traveled to 2 different cities in Spain, and completed a leg of the Camino de Santiago. In addition to traveling, I think that in these last 2 months, I have done the most "growing up" I could have possibly done while abroad. I have made mistakes and learned from them, I have seen things that many people could never see in their life, and I have put myself out there to experience things in a unique way. With about 2 weeks left here in Alicante, my heart is full. My heart is full of special friendship that can only be formed with people you meet while abroad, my heart is full of adventure, and my heart is still full of the taste of Italian pizza and pasta after eating it for a week straight during Spring Break. As I reflect on this experience, I can't help but think "Is there something I would have changed?" While I have a list of places I wish I went and things I wish I did, I look back on this experience as something that changed my life for the better. It has made me open my eyes and look at the people and places around me. So, is there something that I would have changed about my abroad experience? The simple answer is absolutely not. I had a meeting with my program director over the past week, and he asked me a question that really made me reflect on my experience here. His question was, "What will you bring back home with you? Not a physical thing, but a feeling or experience." It really is hard to pick just one thing. I didn't give him an answer because there are so many lessons I have learned from my friends, traveling, and experiencing different cultures. As this experience wraps up, I feel overwhelmed with joy knowing that I was lucky enough to have an experience like this. While I can't wait to come home and be with my family and friends for the summer and get back to the "normalcy" of life, I can honestly say I have never felt so bittersweet about leaving. While Alicante will always have a special place in my heart, I know that when I come back, it will not be the same. I won't be with the people I have been with for the past 4 months who contributed so largely to why I love Alicante. I won't be living in the same home stay with the same family who have been my home away from home. I won't be wandering around the streets of the city knowing I have work to do but saying in my head that it can wait until later. looking back; it really is the little things that made this experience everything and more that it has been. 

As for the last 2 months, I have been traveling a lot, doing school work, and recovering from the Camino de Santiago. I took a bike tour around Berlin, watched a Flamenco show in Granada, ate enough pizza and pasta to last me a life time, swam in thermal baths, walked 113 Kilometers along the Camino de Santiago, and watched extravagant statues be set on fire and destroyed. I really can't put all of these experiences into one blog post, and I'm sure that nobody wants to read all about it. All that is important to know is that because of each experience and each trip, I have changed, for the better of course. 

So, here's to the final run in Alicante. Alicante, you have been so good to me. Get out and explore! 

Having a beer in Berlin during out bike tour

Las Fallas in Valencia, Spain.

The Alhambra- Granada, Spain

 

The Alhambra- Granada, Spain

Flamenco Show in Granada, Spain

Camino de Santiago- Galicia, Spain 

 

Camino de Santiago- Galicia, Spain

 

 

Camino de Santiago- Santiago Compostella 

 

 

 

Florence, Italy 

 

Cinque Terre, Italy

Met up with a friend from High School in Florence

Budapest, Hungary 

 

Budapest, Hungary 

Un Fin de Semana en Suiza

What a weekend this has been! Visiting my top place on my list was nothing short of excellent! While it was a little bittersweet leaving Alicante on one of the most beautiful and perfect beach days and heading to the snowy Swiss alps. It started on Thursday with our flight from Alicante to Geneva. This weekend, we went through Bus2Alps which I really recommend for this trip! I think it would have been much more of a hassle to do on our own! I was meeting my friends who were coming from Rome, but i traveled from Alicante with 2 girls from my program as well which made it much more fun! When we arrived to Geneva, we took a 2 hour bus ride to Interlaken. we didn't end up getting to the hostel until about 2:00 A.M. I was in the room with my friends from Rome so the first night I was in there by myself...they didn't get in until about 7:00.

 

On Friday, we had a day full of exploring and paragliding! Interlaken is surrounded by 2 lakes (hence the name inter-laken) so we went too me of the lakes the first day. The views were indescribable. it was incredible how everything just seemed to stop while we were sitting there. After that, we prepared to go paragliding. That was awesome...even though I had a little accident. When you paraglide, you basically are running off the side of a mountain. I got nervous and stopped running. Long story short my pilot and I did a few tumbles and he was most definitely not happy! I don't have my photos yet because I need my computer to upload them but I'll have them soon. To get up to the mountain we had to take a half hour drive to the top. In the town of Interlaken, there is no snow, but if you go up the mountain you will most definitely find snow! This was the first time I saw snow this winter, and I am not complaining! After paragliding, we chilled out a bit then went out on the town.

 

 

 

 

Saturday morning, we went snowshoeing! If anybody does this trip to Interlaken, I REALLY recommend this activity! It was worth every penny! It was a workout and a half but easily had the best views of the alps! That was an all day activity. Snowshoeing is basically just walking with big shoes. Getting up was the part you had to put effort into. Getting down was the tricky part. There is definitely a science behind it, but I could not figure it out so I just slid down the whole way...definitely the more fun way! After that, we were all so tired so we went to find a place to eat.

 

 

The town of Interlaken is actually very small, like a little village so there wasn't that much to do other than the snow activities. This was one the last big weekend of the season so there was a lot of people on this trip. People took buses from Prague, Rome, Florence, and some (like me) flew in from other places like London and Spain. This was such a great weekend and j would recommend it to anyone! I am not a skier so I did not do any skiing but that was a very popular option for people to do!  They said it was really fun! Switzerland is definitely very expensive, but this was most people's "big trips" for their study abroad semester.  

 

It was so bittersweet saying goodbye to my friends because this will be the last time I see them until April! But, until then we will all be doing our own trips and exploring, so I can't wait to hear all of their stories!

 

 

Un Fin de Semana en Madrid

This past weekend, CIEE took us to Madrid! I didn't really know much about Madrid, other than the fact it is Spain's capital, before going there. The trip started on Thursday, classes were canceled, at 8:00 A.M. followed by a 6 hour bus ride. I was very happy I had my pillow and blanket! When we arrived in the city of Madrid, I felt like I was back home in the United States! It had all American stores, food places, and the overall feel was very NYC-like. Once we arrived to the hotel, which was actually very nice and right in the middle of the city, we headed out to Dunkin Donuts, THE ONLY THING I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! I had a donut and an iced coffee. The Donut was the same, the iced coffee, not so much but it was still exactly what I needed. In spain, they don't understand the concept of making the espresso weaker or mixing it with milk or even water, but that is how we drink it in the U.S., it is not strange, just different! After our excursion, we went on a walking tour of the city and before we made our way back, we went to a chocolatería for some churros on chocolate. I personally am not the biggest fan of churros, solely for the fact that they chocolate is normally too rich/dark for me, I know call me crazy. After the tour, we went back to the hotel to get ready for the night out. A group of friends and myself went to get food and returned back to the hotel. 

The night life in Madrid is definitely very comparable to NYC nightlife. There is a discoteca called Teatro Kapital which is 7 floors. I unfortunately could not get in because I did not have a hard copy of my drivers license or passport, only a photocopy of my passport. 

Friday, we were able to have our choice of what to do for the day. We could have chosen a Bike tour of the city, the Reina Sofia, a tour of the congresso, or a tour of Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. I chose the stadium because that is where the Real Madrid futbol team plays! It was AMAZING! We were able to see the locker rooms, the bench on the side of the field, and all 10 European Cup trophies and the Fifa World Cup trophy, as well. I am not much of a soccer fan, but after taking the tour, you can understand why soccer is apart of the Spanish culture! After the stadium, we made our way back near the hotel and had lunch at a restaurant and then had free time. I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked to while we were there, but I got a lot of the Stadium.

On Saturday, we started back to Alicante, but we stopped at El Escorial, which is historically known as the residence for the King of Spain! It was so big and seemed as though we were trapped in time! It was very cool! We were not permitted to take photos in there, there was security every where making sure we did not take any! 

I really liked Madrid a lot! It was almost comforting to feel as though we were back in the U.S! I am very happy I am in Alicante studying because if I was in a city like Madrid, I would not be able to focus at all! We were warned a lot about the pick pocketers in Madrid, luckily none of our belongings got stolen thankfully! This weekend, I will be heading to Interlaken, Switzerland! I am SO excited! 



    

Mi fin de semana en Roma

This past weekend, I spent the weekend in Rome with my best friend from Sacred Heart! It was awesome to reconnect and see some familiar faces, especially because there are quite a few SHU students studying in Rome at John Cabot! In high school, I took a trip to Italy and visited Rome, but this time was different, you have a different type of appreciation for the culture, the architecture, and the history when you are a bit older. 

My journey started on Thursday when I made my way to the Alicante Airport. The Alicante Airport was SO easy and I got through security in about 5 minutes tops. So for my next trip I definitely won't have to arrive so much earlier! I left 75 degree weather and headed towards Rome where it was about 55 and rainy. It was actually refreshing to see rain, it doesn't rain at all in Alicante. When I got to Rome, i took a train to Trastevere where my hotel was. The train was easy to navigate! Once i arrived in Trastevere, I met up with Emily and we walked to my hotel and I got settled in and then we went to eat. it was an early night from there. 

On Friday, we hit all the best spots in Rome. The iconic Colosseum, The Roman Forum, an of course we had to stop and get some gelato on the way.  As I said, I have visited Rome before, but you definitely gain a greater appreciation for the rich history. In the Forum, it is like the entire city is trapped in time and has been that way forever. It is amazing to see all of the detailed architecture. Also while I was in the forum, I saw green grass for the first time in months *it's the little things*. After the Forum, we made our way over to the Colosseum. While walking through, we would listen to tours that were being given to learn some more information about the Colosseum (broke college students to the max). It was amazing just ROMEing around and seeing all the things many people only learn about by looking at pictures or reading books. After the long day, we made our way to Dar Poeta where I had the BEST PIZZA OF MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!! A Pizza with Buffalo Mozzarella *heart eye emoji.*

Emily and me in front of the Colosseum 

The interior of the Colosseum. When the Colosseum was actively used, there was a floor covering what you now see. The underground was where the people would prepare for their games

Emily and me in the Roman Forum

Emily, Rachel, and me in the Coloseum

the Roman Forum

Eating THE BEST PIZZA OF MY LIFE AT DAR POETA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Throughout the weekend, I was pleasantly surprised that there were TONS of people speaking Spanish and I was able to practice, even while in a different country. When you hear people saying "claro" and "vale," you whip your head around and immediately ask where they are from. It was awesome to just talk to people. Not many people understand the concept of study abroad and traveling on the weekends, so that was tough to explain. 

On Saturday, we had a day of shopping and some more sight seeing. We went to the Trevi Fountain and we also saw the Spanish Steps, which were under construction. Near the Spanish steps is where all of the name brand expensive stores are. It was nice window shopping! Stumbling upon the Spanish steps made me long for Alicante. it was like a little piece of Spain was right there with me in Rome! On Saturday, we also headed to Campo de' Fiori, that is the local market where there are vendors selling anything you can imagine, from clothes to food. There I bought a few souvenirs, bags of pasta, to bring back to my host family and my real family in the US.  

The Spanish steps 

Me and Emily at the Trevi Fountain 

We will see if this wish comes true ;) 

While I loved traveling, catching up with my friends, and seeing so many beautiful sights along the way, there truly is no place like Spain. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I feel as though THIS is my home. I have gone from being super homesick, to traveling and being homesick of my new home, Alicante. There is something about this city, the language, my family, the culture that has effected me in such a way I could not even imagine. Everyday I find something new to love about this place. From a new gelato flavor (my current favorite is Kinder Bueno flavor) to walking around the rambla to find a new place to eat with my friends and ending up at kebap or taco bell, this place is my temporary home. My friends and I have already started talking about when we will be coming back to visit Alicante. Time is FLYING by. I can't even believe it is already mid February!

This coming weekend, I will be traveling to Madrid with CIEE! I am so excited to go! Many people I have talked to say that is their favorite place! Vamos a ver! While in Madrid, I will be visiting Santiago Bernabéu Stadium where the Real Madrid soccer team plays! I am not much of a soccer fan, but my host family loves Real Madrid, my sister says Cristiano Ronaldo es su novio.