It’s hard to believe that I only have about 2 weeks left until I leave Europe. This experience has been life-changing and something that is hard to really describe to others. I never thought I would be traveling all over, meeting so many people, and gaining memories that will last forever. I had the opportunity to go to a small country right next to Spain called Andorra to go skiing. Erasmus Student Network put the trip together, making it much cheaper than if I had tried to plan it on my own. ?I had not skied for about 10 years before this so I was a little nervous but mostly excited. The girls I was around?while there were very helpful and encouraging to me and others. I bonded with so many people there, enjoyed the beauty around me, and I got to re-teach myself how to ski, which was challenging but definitely a blast!
During my twin sister’s Spring Break, she and my parents took the opportunity to come visit me. Seeing them actually made me more home sick than before and reminded me of how much I love and miss them. This is the longest I’ve ever been without my sister since we go to A&M and live together so it was lovely getting to see her. It was exciting showing my family around Barcelona, all the touristy sites as well as the places most tourists don’t know about. We got to go to the well known places like Park Guell and Sagrada Familia, as well as getting to eat some delicious food Spain is known for! One of the evenings they were here, we had a picnic on a hill with a 360 degree view of Barcelona as the sun set. They were amazed at the beauty that Barcelona and for me to be their tour guide made it even more special. Seeing my family’s reaction to Barcelona reminded me how special it is that I’m here and able to live in this amazing city.
Another student and one of my good friends who is studying in Venice this semester came to see me and Barcelona for a weekend. Again, I was able to show off this city and what it holds! It doesn’t matter how many times I see Barcelona from on top of a hill, the view leaves me speechless every time. I’m able to point out some of the buildings and their significance to the city as well as admire looking at the Mediterranean Sea. I’m absorbing these last special moments in Barcelona before I leave.
I’m going to spend the next two weeks traveling to places like Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, and Poland. Someone who I consider to be like a sister to me lives in Denmark, so getting to see her and her family will be extremely special! I’m going to be able to see more of the world, visit a concentration camp and I’ll even be skydiving! I’m making sure to have experiences that will stick with me for a very long time before leaving to go home. Although I can’t wait to see my friends and family when I get back, I know I’m going to miss Barcelona, traveling, and the easy access to seeing new places and countries. Gracias Barcelona for everything you’ve provided for me!