Upcoming Website Maintenance

Early this Monday morning U.S. Central Time the IES Abroad website will undergo scheduled maintenance. During this time some or all features of the site - like login and account creation - may be unavailable, but we expect this disruption to be brief. Thank you for your patience.

Barcelona Bound

Kate Mclean
 January 9, 2017
Bienvenidos a mi blog! My name is Kate and I am originally from Albany, New York, but am currently a junior at George Washington University in Washington, DC majoring in International Affairs with a minor in Spanish. I am beyond thrilled to be studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain this semester! As 2016 draws to a close, I say goodbye to the wonderful city of Washington. It has become my ideal college town over the past five semesters with my go-to restaurants, weekend hotspots, and the envious political scene that brought me to DC in the first place. Not to mention, I'm leaving some of my favorite people. Though some are staying in the great capital, most of my friends are jet setting across the globe to different continents and countries. From Australia to Hong Kong to Florence to London to Dublin and back to Barcelona, our passports will be bursting with new stamps and memories by the time we make it back to Washington for our senior year. Of course, I would be lying if I said I didn't feel some sort of fear of missing out. I know I am in for the adventure of a lifetime abroad, but each day I'm growing more and more used to accepting that my sorority will still host events, my friends in DC will still have dinner dates, and a new president will move into the White House...all while I am in Spain. However, what brings me back is that while these things are happening on campus, I will be roaming the streets of Barcelona creating my own experiences and writing my own abroad story. Not knowing what is in store is all part of the adventure and spontaneity that drew me to study abroad in the first place. As a senior in high school deciding where to apply for my undergrad education, I scrutinized the college’s study abroad offerings more than I did the housing options or meal plans. And when it came time to choose my abroad city, from the hundreds of options available, I first narrowed the list down to countries that spoke Spanish. As a Spanish minor, this was something important to me. Next, I had to decide between Latin America and Europe and I ultimately chose Europe since traveling on weekends to other countries was going to be a priority. Barcelona seemed like the perfect fit as it is a temperate city on the Mediterranean coast with a major airport, beautiful architecture, and centuries of history. The study abroad experience has always been part of my college vision. And with this, my excitement for Barcelona and studying abroad only grows! My adventure is only eight days away, which means it's time to narrow down my packing list and get serious about my best year yet.

More Blogs From This Author

View All Blogs

Kate Mclean

Wanderlust enthusiast, seeker of all things sweet, and lover of exploration.

Destination:
Home University:
George Washington University, The
Major:
International Relations
Explore Blogs