Hola! Hello! My name is Stephanie and I am studying in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Spain is 5,812 miles from my hometown of Irvine, California. That’s about the length of 85,244 football fields all lined up! Irvine is in southern California, about 10 minutes from the beach. I grew up in Irvine with my mom and our two puppies, Sadie and Kobe. One of my favorite things to do while I’m home is to take my puppies to the doggy park and play catch with them. Because of my love for going to the beach and playing with dogs, I knew I had to go to college somewhere on the coast, so I chose UC Santa Barbara. Instead of living 10 minutes from the beach, my backyard is the ocean. Every morning, I wake up to the sound of the ocean waves and the beautiful sea breeze. And there are always puppies running around the park next to my house. But as much as I love the beaches of California, I decided it was time for a change, and so I set off on my journey to study abroad.
Here in Madrid, there are no beaches. Instead, I am living in the heart of an exciting and bustling city. The sound of crashing waves has been replaced with honking cars and loud laughter, while the smell of the sea has been replaced by the smells of café and churros. I am so excited to share my adventures with you!
