I have been looking forward to this experience for years? literally. I signed up for this trip in 2019 but then COVID happened and the 2020 trip got canceled. When I heard that there was a possibility of the trip happening in 2021, I knew I had to sign up for it. I did not want to finish my time at A&M without this opportunity. Being a proud Hispanic, Spain has always been at the top of my list of places I wanted to visit, and with this program, I feel like I will get to really experience Spain and the Spanish culture extensively. We are going to be here for 5 weeks. This will allow us to get comfortable, and make Spain our home for those 5 weeks. The fact that there are so many group activities planned is great because some of these activities are things that I probably would not have thought of doing if I were here by myself. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I am constantly having a ?pinch me? moment. In addition, I am so happy to be experiencing this country for the first time alongside some amazing people that I know will be lifelong friends.
The first few days felt very fast-paced and I felt like we were always on ?Go! Go! Go!? mode. But as the jet lag starts to go away, we start finding routines and finding more structure in our days. Speaking Spanish has made the experience so far a little more special. I especially love that I am able to ask waiters for their recommendations on food items on their menu. It may seem silly but getting to have small conversations with locals makes me feel closer to this beautiful country. Spain so far has truly been magical and I can?t wait for the experiences that are about to come.