I achieved all of this while knowing that my family and best friends were always just a phone call or text away. Today we are still connected and can access each other regardless of time or place.
Some of my most memorable experiences involve my travels around Spain. While in Madrid, I took advantage of trains and buses to visit other cities, including Barcelona, Sitges, Málaga, Cordoba, Toledo, Granada and Almería. Barcelona, like Madrid, is one of the largest and most populated cities in Spain. It has beautiful beaches and is a bit more diverse than Madrid. However, public transportation in Madrid is definitely cleaner and more efficient. My favorite places were Sitges and Almería, which were small, peaceful beach towns in the southeastern region of Spain. I hope to come back and see more of Spain, plus other countries in Europe!
I would not have been able to have this amazing opportunity to immerse myself in another country had it not been for the support of my family, my university and the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship program, which funded much of my time abroad! My favorite memories aside from my travels include walking around Retiro Park, trying new restaurants and dessert shops with my friends, and having potlucks with people from around the world whom I met thanks to the diverse program at my university!
One of the most important things I learned abroad was to listen with empathy and to participate with compassion and excitement. Learning is an endless journey, and there will always be an opportunity to learn from the people and situations around us if we allow ourselves to be led.
