I have been in Spain for a little over six months now, and I have come such a long way since first arriving! I remember being so terrified when I first went to the airport. I was leaving my friends and family behind to go on this exciting, but also a nerve-wracking, adventure. I wanted to travel to Spain to study or teach since high school. That excitement was also met with some uncertainty. What if I did not make friends? What if I had trouble adjusting to life in a new country? I had a lot of doubts as I got on my flight to Madrid. I jumped in headfirst and I am so glad that I did.
Almost immediately after arriving, I explored a neighborhood in Madrid with other people in the Fulbright program. We made some mistakes on our first day exploring (don't sign up for a phone contract in the mall!). I quickly found people I connected with and those people are still some of my closest friends I have made during the program.
Adjusting to life in A Coruna was a whirlwind of finding an apartment, opening a bank account, getting a better phone contract and beginning teaching just in a few days. I am so proud of myself for being able to navigate all of these logistical changes in a new country in a second language. After arriving in the city, I began to build my community here.
