Mis Amigos Mejores

One of the first things our program director said to us when we arrived in Alicante was to simply take a moment and look around. To your right. To your left. We may have been in a new city, in a new country, on a new continent, with a new language, but we had 66 new friends who were in the exact same shoes.

Between school, traveling, the good times, and the bad, we had a shoulder to turn to at any given moment. I couldn't have asked for a better group of friends to share my semester with. When I decided to study abroad, I was devastated to leave my friends at home. What I didn't know was how hard it would be to leave my new friends, as well.

So here's to Anna, Britt, Cat, Erin, Ella, Johnny, Keith, Mallory, Kristin, Elizabeth G, Brock, Jonathan, Kira, Derek, Jessica, Katie, Amanda, Hally, Jen H, Celina, Sarah M, Blair, Tori, Chelsea, Julia, Mark, John, Alexa, Emma, Courtney C, Colleen, Grant, Dan, Max, Haylie, Gunnar, Melanie, Cree, Nick, Morgan, Michaela, Francisco, Deb, Colin, Olivia, Sienna, Allen, Seongha, Mikaela, Sarah K, Jen P, Courtney G, Elizabeth S, Bridget, Connor, Watson, Brandon, Aaron, Natalie, Amelia, Bene, and all of the other incredible people I met along the way! I don't know what I would have done without you guys :)

I miss you all! 

America Needs More Fountains

Plaza de Luceros - Alicante, Spain

Puerta del Sol - Madrid, Spain

Parque de Buen Retiro - Madrid, Spain

Plaza de los Cibeles - Madrid, Spain

Jardines de Alcazar - Cordoba, Spain

La Alhombra - Granada, Spain

National Gallery - London, England

St. Patrick's Cathedral - Dublin, Ireland

Plaza del Ayuntamiento - Valencia, Spain

Venice, Italy

Trevi Fountain - Rome, Italy

Pisa Centrale - Pisa, Italy

Musée du Louvre - Paris, France

Font Màgica de Montjuïc - Barcelona, Spain 

...to be continued...

BarTHalona

One of my biggest guilt-trips during my semester abroad was feeling like I was cheating on Spain. Of course, we started by spending five days in Madrid, and our program did a great job of showing us places in and around Alicante, but there is so much more to see! I was pleased to make it to Granada and Cordoba, and later to Valencia, but I absolutely HAD to see Barcelona before returning home.

I finally made my trip up to northeastern Spain for Thanksgiving weekend, when my cousin and her family were stopping in Barcelona. I took the train up Thursday afternoon and had a conversation with two very sweet women, one in college as well, and one older, about universities and my semester here versus at home. It was one of the first times that I initiated a conversation in Spanish, and that I was able to contribute and understand what we were saying. My family met me at the train station, and after a quick stop at the hotel, we were off to our Spanish Thanksgiving Dinner.

After our night on the town, we began Friday morning with a walk by the Casa Batllo, one of Gaudi's numerous masterpieces in Barcelona. We continued on to La Sagrada Familia, which was absolutely STUNNING. We had seen many churches and cathedrals thus far in Europe, particularly in Spain, but this was the most gorgeous church I have ever been in. The architecture inside and out is amazing, but the stained glass, in my opinion, is what makes the church a work of art. The walls are stark white, but depending on the time of day and the angle of the sun, the church glows many different colors. All of the stained glass is being completed by one person, and there are still some sections of the church that are yet to be completed.

The outside of the cathedral displays numerous Facades. The doors are covered with words in different languages.  

White walls

Stained Glass

From there, we headed over to Parc Guell. We were quickly exhausted by the straight uphill hike and stopped at a cafe right next to the escalators (yes, there were escalators to get you up the hill). After some snack food and afternoon sangria, we made it to Parc Guell just in time for the sunset. You can see the entire city of Barcelona from the higher points of the park, and even Tibidabo behind you. We wanted to see the infamous benches, so that was our next stop. Everything Gaudi designed is truly a work of art. So much time and effort went into every little detail, and it shows.

Cousins take Europe, Round Two!

The detail is incredible! 

Katie, Allie, and I

We found the benches! 

We had a fun evening perusing La Rambla, the main market street in Barcelona, as well as a lovely dinner-turned-competition between the seven of us that were there. Sadly, this was their second and last night in Barcelona, as they had an early flight the next morning. Allie and I got up to send them off, and then snoozed in a little later before heading back to Casa Batllo, where we spent several hours learning all about his history and other masterpieces.

We causally ran into a friend of mine from my program, and the three of us spent the remainder of the day exploring every other part of Barcelona that we hadn't yet seen: the Royal Palace, Camp Nou, and my personal favorite, the Magic Fountain. It got pretty cold towards the end of the night, but it was a fabulous day and a great end to a great trip.

La Font Màgica de Montjuïc

We left early Sunday morning, Allie back to Florence and myself back to Alicante. T-3 weeks 'til we're home!

Friendsgiving 2013

I have a lot to be thankful for this year. I definitely underestimated how much I would miss home, and it hits hard on holidays. Luckily, I was not alone in this sentiment, so we had a makeshift Thanksgiving in Alicante on Wednesday night (since so many of us were traveling over the weekend). Six girls in our program live in the same apartment building, right across the hall from each other. They were nice enough to have us all over to their "penthouse suite."

It was quite difficult to find a turkey (although another group did successfully get one!) but everybody contributed and brought something to our Friendsgiving dinner. We started off Spanish-style with bread, jamon, and chorizo, but the table quickly filled with quite the assortment: roasted vegetables, stuffing casserole, potato latkes (affectionately referred to as the "Jewish fritters" by our first-time Thanksgiving guests), applesauce, butternut squash soup, deviled eggs, fruit salad, apple pie, pumpkin muffins, cookies, cider, spiced wine, and more...

In true Thanksgiving spirit, we went around the table and each said something we were thankful for, but we also made a rule where you couldn't repeat something that had already been said. Our Australian and New Zealand friends particularly liked this twist. In all honesty, I think we were all thankful for everything said: having the opportunity to spend four months in a foreign country, meeting so many like-minded people in the same place, traveling with friends new and old, families that support us from 4000+ miles away, new families that welcomed us into their homes for the semester, professors and program directors who do anything and everything for us, just to name a few. It was a Friendsgiving to never forget!

Reflection: 10 Things About Living Abroad

Is Thought Catalog the new Buzzfeed? I have seen many articles shared via Thought Catalog in the last few weeks, and this particular article has been popular among my study abroad friends: 10 Things About Living Abroad: No Turning Back

The title of the article says it all. Once I walked through security back in New Jersey, there really was no turning back. I held back tears as I repacked my bags, waved goodbye to my parents, and walked towards gate 92, into what would become one of the most memorable experiences of my life for many, many reasons.

1. Freedom
I had always claimed to be independent...but nothing says independence like throwing yourself into a foreign country. Different people, different customs, different language. Ready or not...you're going. And you have to run with it.

2. Watching your life at home pass by. 
It took me a while to realize I was living my same life, just in a different place. Studying abroad was a huge adjustment for me, and the first few weeks really blurred together. But once my friends began their semesters at home, it was easier to convince myself that this really wasn't all that different.

3. Math skills strengthen as you are always trying to convert your local currency to your home country.
I wouldn't say that my math skills have strengthened. I have, however, gotten very good at multiplying by two, in order to account for the extra money I will inevitably end up spending, or for the crappy exchange rate that just keeps rising.

4. Communication
It's a two way street, whether you like it or not. Throw multiple languages in there and it's a full-on traffic jam. Intercambios are challenging. Ordering out at restaurants is still a daunting task. But then there are times I can talk with a family at the park, help an elderly woman at the grocery store, and if I'm lucky, successfully complete one day without any Spanglish.

5. Stories
"You got locked in the bathroom? For two hours??" Enough said.

6. You realize little holidays and moments you didn't think mattered are the ones that make you the most homesick.
Birthdays. Thanksgiving. The first snow of the season. It really is the little things.

7. Growth
Mentally, emotionally, and physically. I've learned more by immersing myself in a new culture than I ever thought imaginable. I've made countless new friends and memories, sometimes while pushing myself to my absolute extremes. And then there's the Spanish eating schedule, exacerbated by living with a host family...

8. Adrenaline
How else was I expected to hit five cities in four days, sleeping only three nights? Everyone said the travel bug would get me (and then the legitimate travel bugs got me...that sure increased the adrenaline).

9. Patience
Relying on public transportation requires demands that you have patience. You can know every detail, but sometimes a wrench will still be thrown in your plans, and you have no choice but to go with the flow. With friends, with school, with travels. Patience truly is a virtue.

10. Having to say hello for the first time and having to say goodbye for the final time.
We'll just hold off on this one for a few more weeks....

Let the Countdown Begin...

Exactly 30 days from today, I will be home. HOME. My REAL home!

I can't believe that I have been gone for nearly three months! I have learned so much during my semester abroad, and fortunately, I still have time to squeeze in a little more. I will definitely miss Spain, but I am very excited to be with my family again. Hasta pronto!

Start counting, girlies! 

Americans in Paris

My friend Natalie and I signed up for a group tour with Weekend Student Adventures (www.wsaeurope.com) to the beautiful city of Paris, France! It was nice to have a weekend fully planned for us, especially since we left for Paris just four days after returning from Italy.

In efforts to take the cheapest flights possible, we took a train from Alicante to nearby Valencia, and then flew from Valencia to Paris. We arrived at our hostel at about 10pm, where we met our "roommates," all who were doing the same WSA tour. Two were studying in London, one in Barcelona, and another in Rome.

Thus far, I had had PERFECT weather in every city I visited.....then came Paris. It consistently rained for almost all of our trip, but, the show must go on! We started our tour at 10am Friday morning, with our first stop being the Sacre Coeur. We then went on to Moulin Rouge, followed by what we had all been waiting for...the Eiffel Tower.

Once we turned the corner, Kevi yelled, "There she is!!" Standing 1,063 feet tall, "she" is quite the sight. The Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance for the 1889 World Fair, and absolutely none of the Parisians approved of it. Fast forward 120 years and it is now one of the most iconic pieces of architecture in Paris, if not the whole world. They are currently doing a lot of construction on the Eiffel Tower in efforts to insert a glass floor....therefore, one of the elevators was out of service, and it was at least an hour wait for the second. We opted to walk up the stairs to the lookout point. It seemed like a great idea in the beginning, but about halfway up, we were all starting to change our minds. We got some really cool pictures, despite the weather.

After the Eiffel Tower, we grabbed lunch and headed over to the Latin Quarter. From there we went to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, which was beautiful both inside and out. There were also many Disney references made. Next we hit another tourist trap...the Pont du Amoreux, also known as the "lock bridge." Despite being touristy and a tad bit cliche, I still thought it was a really cool place.

We walked, and walked, and walked some more before we arrived at dinner. As part of our tour, some of the group opted to try traditional French cuisine at an authentic French restaurant. We ate a delicious salad with baked goat cheese (first time eating goat cheese!) as our appetizer, followed by beef bourguignon as our main course. We also tried escargot, and finished our meal off with a delicious half-baked chocolate cake. **We continued to eat our body weight over the next two days in Paris.**

Too chicken to eat the snails plain...we added bread. 

One of Natalie's friends lives in Paris, and another friend was visiting. We hung out with them on Friday night and then got up bright and early for our second day of touring. We started at the Musee du Louvre, where we saw the coveted Mona Lisa and other incredible works of art. We had some free time that afternoon, so we went macaroon shopping and ate a really great restaurant before heading back to the hotel for our bike tour. 

Our moonlight bike tour through Paris was much more difficult than anybody anticipated, but it was still one of the most fun parts of our trip. After the bike tour, we went on a cruise down the Seine River. I think we can all agree that one of our favorite parts of Paris is when the Eiffel Tower twinkles at the top of every hour. As if it weren't beautiful enough! I guess that's why they call it the city of light...

This is What Dreams are Made Of - Part Two

Friday morning we caught an early train to Florence, where we immediately caught a second train to the small, but well known town of Pisa. After a short walk through one of the most adorable towns I have ever visited, we found it! Pictures don't do it justice. It is way more tilted in person. When lunch rolled around, we couldn't turn down pizza in Pisa.  

Found some WiPi!

#Tourist

Pizza in Pisa...couldn't resist! 

One of my most favorite pictures from the trip

Shortly thereafter, we returned to Florence, where we met my cousin Allie and two of her friends who were also visiting. She took us to Piazzale Michaelangelo, one of the highest points in Florence with a stunning view of the city. We ate fabulous homemade pasta at Yellow Bar (thanks TripAdvisor app!) and had a lovely tour of the city. Saturday morning we visited the San Lorenzo Market, which was incredible. I have never seen so many items for sale (really, on sale as well)!

Cousins in Florence!

Fake David...we were too cheap to pay for the real deal!

Chianti and Homemade Gnocchi 

Friends and Family in Florence!

The majority of Saturday was spent traveling and recuperating my immune system, which took an unfortunate turn for the worse towards the end of our fabulous trip. We took a train from Florence back to Milan, a bus from the train station to the airport, and then caught our flight from Milan back to Alicante....and I slept like a baby through each one. It was an absolutely incredible weekend, and I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel, and fabulous friends to travel with.

This is What Dreams are Made Of

Anybody who was between the age of 8 and 12 during the 2003-ish era will know exactly what is to come in this post, simply because of the title. That's right. We relived our childhood by backpacking through Italy, making sure to hit every stop (and more) that Lizzie McGuire did. Haylie, Natalie, and I began planning this trip back in early September. We knew Italy was a place we wanted to see while studying abroad, so we went for it. Full speed ahead.

Five cities. Four days. Three friends. Two locals. One AMAZING week(end). 

We left Alicante on Tuesday night and departed for Milan. We didn't intend to really see or do anything in Milan, but we did happen to see some cool buildings and cute shops during our (extremely) long walk to our hostel. Little did we know how much walking was ahead of us!

Basilica of the Nativity of St. Mary

Shopping, anyone??

We woke up early Wednesday morning, and I subsequently began to freak out about bedbugs, and took our first of many trains to Venice. With no plan in mind, except for a gondola ride, we set out to explore the city. Venice is well known for it's Murano glass and masquerade masks, so it is safe to say we spent quite a bit of time shopping that day. We visited St. Mark's Square, tried various sorts of gelato and cannolis, and shared a gondola ride with a super nice couple who just so happened to be on their honeymoon! Venice was a nice little town, but having a population of only 58,000 people meant that once the day was done....it was done. We killed some time before our midnight train by snacking on yet another gelato. 

St. Mark's Square

Welcome to Venice! 

After a fairly crappy sleep on our six hour train ride, we arrived in LA CITTA ETERNA. Rome, the eternal city. We may or may not have gotten kicked out of a breakfast cafe (still a little unsure of that one....the language barrier was definitely more profound than we anticipated) but quickly moved on to what would be our busiest day yet. We were in line for the Colosseum by 8:30am. After the Colosseum we saw the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum, followed by a walk to Vatican City to see St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. After a quick lunch, we walked back to the center of Rome to visit the Pantheon and of course, the Trevi Fountain. We then proceeded to walk (again) to our hostel, check in, and then visit my friend Bea in the Trastevere region for dinner and dessert. And because we hadn't already done enough walking, we decided to go back to the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain after dinner to see both lit up in all of their glory. Rome was absolutely amazing. Completely exhausting, but one of the most intriguing places I have ever been to. 

Good morning, Rome! 

Palatine Hill

Vatican City

Inside the Pantheon

Gelato #4

Make a wish!! 

Dinner (and gelato #5) with Bea!

Trevi Fountain (again)

Las Mejores Amigas :) 

...to be continued...