Hola, chicos!

Two years ago, I made quite possibly one of the biggest decisions of my life: I enrolled in a university that was 484 miles away from my home. Looking back on it, the decision to go out of state for college changed me to become the person I am today, someone who is more independent, confident, and adventurous. As my sophomore year has just come to a close, I can safely say that my life in Lincoln is greater than I could have ever imagined.

It has almost been two weeks since I arrived back in the States, and I thought it would be the perfect time to share some important travelling, safety, and general advice with you guys that the video below does not include. 

1) Get your school work done in advance.

What I Miss Most About Abroad: 3) the nature. Being from California, I felt most at home by the beach, so naturally while I was abroad, I seized any opportunity to be by the water. It was nice getting outside rather than being cooped up in a classroom all day. In fact, IES Abroad's Barcelona Center was only 30 minutes walking distance from the beach. Some of my favorite days of the semester are featured in this video.

Number 2 in the Series: The Architecture. I'm actually surprised at the lack of footage of architecture in Barcelona. I think that during my field studies and the times I would play tourist, I was genuinely busy taking everything in. In my Barcelona and the Cosmopolitan City class, we learned a lot about the Catalan Gothic style of architecture throughout the city so I became a total nerd for architecture this semester because of it. I found myself constantly being in awe of everything around me. 

As my time in Barcelona has comes to a close, I want to share with everyone a list of what I will miss most about studying abroad. Number one on the list? The sunsets. Not to be dramatic or anything because I know I can watch the sun set anywhere in the world. However, there is something cathartic watching the sunset with people I had only met a few months prior taking in the most surreal views thousands of miles away from home. To be traveling the world at 21 with incredible instant friends is such a gift.

During our Spring Break, my friend group and I headed to a place I have been dreaming of for a long time: Sorrento, Italy. During our stay, we actually lived in a villa located in Termini—a small town 30 minutes away from the city. Because it was out of season, there were not many tourists. We were really able to get to know all the locals in the area, especially a waiter named Alessio from a restaurant called Salvatore and Mafalda. Long story short, Alessio taught us how to make gnocchi using his grandmother's recipe.

I have had a rough past few days, so naturally I picked myself up, walked around my neighborhood Les Corts, and started taking random footage to get my mind off of things. Once I got back to my apartment, I challenged myself to make a short little video and this was the result. Les Corts is located right by Camp Nou. Videos simply don't do the area justice.

In Morocco, the big dipper is upside-down. Like it might spill soup all over the night sky. I've been here now for three months, but occasionally, I notice new differences like that—quiet, sudden reminders that I am far from home. It slips my mind, sometimes.

STORYTIME! The semester is coming to a close and countless events have occurred. Among these are the good and the bad; however, every moment was an opportunity for growth and change.