Rome: My Trip to the Eternal City

I never really understood what people meant when they said they had the time of their life when they studied abroad. I would think yea ok *eye roll* what does that even mean? So you went and traveled for a semester, saw new places, and that was the end of it. No. My trip to Rome made me realize what people mean when they say they had the time of their life because I truly did have the time of my life. And there's no real way to explain the feeling unless you experience it for yourself. I didn't go to Rome with some huge agenda or schedule. I just booked the trip with my friends and off I went. And I can honestly say that for the entire trip I was truly living. My friend Melanie (my amazing God Little for all you people who know what that is ;) lol) told me something before I left for Madrid that really stuck with me. She said something along the lines of "You're going to love Europe.You will notice that people are truly living over there, it's not like here. You are going to love it." And she was SO right. The vibe and culture of Rome is just so full of energy and life, and it is apparent in everything. People in Rome are living. And that is the biggest thing that I took away from Rome..the excitement  and passion for the little things and the ability to truly enjoy life.

xo

Sending my Mom a post card :)

Rome: The Food

The food in Rome deserves its own post because it was that good and I'm not even exaggerating. I am IN LOVE with Italian food. I don't know what it is but everything in Rome was just so much better than anything I have ever had in the States (the wine was also equally as great). Here is just some of the food I ate while in Rome...

xo

Vlog 3 - Segovia, Futbol, y Real Madrid

Enjoy! xo

Oh yea...School

School is school. Nothing really new and honestly when I reflect on my abroad experience, going to class isn't the thing I'm going to remember the most. With that being said there are things that I find interesting about going to a Spanish university (Universidad Pontificia Comillas is the name of the university) and since no one ever talks about school while they're abroad (for obvious reasons) I figured I would share my thoughts.

I've only been here for a little over 2 weeks and I have already made so many observations. As you may or may not know I'm a Finance and International Business double major, so this means that while I'm in Madrid I have to take mostly business classes. One thing I think is so interesting is how influential US companies are in Spain. In all of my classes the case studies and examples that professors mention are all about Google, IBM, Apple, etc. It's very interesting the lack of major European companies that are discussed in my classes. The one European country that is mentioned a lot though and is seen as being the most elite is Germany (obviously). Also, they LOVE The Economist over here. Every professor I have has mentioned The Economist and sees it as the most reputable source for business news. 

So since I'm taking classes for my major I decided to take those classes in English (taking all my classes in Spanish would have been a set up). I love my Spanish class though and I really think it's going to help me a lot with my Spanish grammar and my overall dream of being fluent. But the attitude about school here is very different from DC. They really don't worry about things here. I'm the type of student who likes to have a syllabus so I know when the exams are and how the course will run; I like having a plan (I would appreciate them even more now since I'm trying to plan my trips around Europe). Bur.they aren't worried about it...the schedule, when the exams are, or even the grading (no pasa nada is TOO real). I haven't gotten a single syllabus yet and no one seems to be worried about it. There's a very go with the flow it'll be fine kind of attitude. Meanwhile, I'm just sitting here trying to get good grades while simultaneously traveling the world...

This is definitely going to take some getting used to. I'll keep you posted.

xo 

When Was the Last Time You Marveled at Something?

Seriously. When was the last time you marveled at something? For me it's been happening a lot in Spain but in particular on my recent trip to Toledo. The city is only an hour outside of Madrid and beautiful doesn't even begin to describe it. Hundreds of years ago Christians, Muslims, and Jews all lived together in Toldeo and coexisted peacefully for centuries. Each group influenced the city in their own unique way and that influence is still seen today. That mix of culture is what makes the city so breathtaking. From the enormous Catholic cathedral to the Muslim mosques and Jewish synagogue, the city is filled with beauty in the most unexpected places.

So I challenge you to marvel at something....anything. You don't have to be in a foreign country to find something something that leaves you speechless or inspired. 

xo

                    

                         

                                                                               

Vlog 2 - Walking Tours and Toledo!

So this is a vlog of the end of orientation week and our field trip to Toledo on Saturday. I promise to start writing actual posts about my experiences in Madrid once I get my final schedule and things are less hectic. Enjoy!

xo

Vlog 1 - Mi Primera Vlog!

So this week I've been all over the place. My sleep schedule is messed up and I've had lots of orientation stuff to do. So instead neglecting my blog I decided to start vlogging, which is basically just me being the paparazzi of the group and recording all the highlights of the day lol. I hope you all like it and please let me know what you think/if I should keep doing them/any suggestions! Muchas gracias! Enjoy!

xo

No Pasa Nada

I'm in Madrid!! Ahh it's still hitting me that I'm actually here. From the moment I stepped off the plane I was immediately hit by the Spanish language (and contrary to popular belief, most people in Spain do not speak much English). The group of students I'm with refers to it as a "violent transition" lol and that is actually the perfect way to describe the feeling of being in a country where you are not fluent in the language (yet ;) ). Not fully understanding the language just makes me feel slow and disconnected. It takes me two minutes just to figure out what to say and by the time I get it the conversation has passed. Like today after orientation when we all went out to eat for lunch. I wanted to ask the waiter for more chips. I practiced it out loud with my friends at the table (who are all mostly fluent already) but when the waiter finally came over I completely blanked. Frustrating isn't even the word, but I am determined to come back fluent or at the very least highly proficient. It is definitely sink or swim when it comes to learning Spanish here and I'm so glad because I'm already learning so much. The first night here my group stayed in a hotel and just relaxed until everyone arrived. Our course I took this time to explore the area which was right around the corner from El Palacio Real, the Spanish Royal Palace. It was so beautiful especially since there were so many gardens in the area with amazing views of the city. Walking around definitely got me so excited (and Mom before you start to worry no I was not walking around by myself I was with my friends).

But the real excitement came today when we finally got to meet our homestay families following lunch. I personally think it is terrifying having to get on a plane and go to a foreign country and not know the people or the place where you will be staying. But that's what I did and today I finally got to meet my Señora, the women I will be living with for the rest of the program. I was so nervous but she is absolutely amazing. Her apartment is so beautiful and only two blocks from the metro. When we first met she asked me how good my Spanish was (in Spanish in case you were wondering). I told her my Spanish was not the best and that I really wanted to be fluent. So, she said for the rest of the semester we are only going to speak to each other in Spanish, which will force me to practice. Her goal is for me to completely understand the Spanish news by the time my program ends in May. I am so excited to see how my language skills progress as time goes on. 

Madrid is such a beautiful and interesting city. There's this Spanish saying that goes no pasa nada, which to me perfectly describes the Spanish culture and Madrid. Translated the term basically means don't worry about it. There is such a laid back atmosphere in Spain, no one is worried about time, sticking to schedules, deadlines....no pasa nada (aka I ain't got no worries). And as someone who is typically worried about everything I think this is going to be an extremely positive experience. So here's to a great semester and becoming fluent in Spanish. But there's no rush, I'm taking it one day at a time and enjoying every moment of it...no pasa nada :).

xo

My very first Spanish meal :)

A Look Back at 2013

A few memorable places from 2013

I was all over the place in 2013 and that is definitely how I would describe my mental state for most of the year (SO typical if you know me; I always have 5 million different things going on). But as I look back on the year there is one thing that I noticed...I have such amazing people in my life. I am so thankful that no matter how crazy or stressful or busy life gets they are always there supporting and cheering me on. So as I go into 2014 I want to focus on how blessed I am to have the people that I have in life- and not focus on the chaos or things that stress me out. I'm so excited for 2014 and cannot wait to see what Spain has in store.

Happy New Year!

xo