It had been an amazing weekend. A group of friends and I went to Milan, Italy and walked around the city, making sure to stop at the best restaurants and gelato stands. We took a day trip to Lake Como by train, which was breathtakingly gorgeous and absolutely awe-inspiring; I’d go as far as to say it is my favorite place I’ve ever been. We were so sad to leave Italy and all its history and good food, but reality called so we headed back to Barcelona.

My host mom’s house is in Gran Via, the most cosmopolitan place in Madrid, Spain’s vibrant capital. It’s somewhat like a boulevard in Paris center, but with the Time Square effects of business. The avenue reflects the extravagant taste of American jazz age, with numerous stores, luxury hotels, and endless streams of shoppers. Spain must have foreseen a globalized world when it brought Gran Via to life in 1910 because of this where you hear at least three different languages walking through just one block.

One of the goals I had for my study abroad experience was to immerse myself in the culture. That isn’t as easy as it sounds. I was taking most of my classes at the IES Abroad Center, with other IES Abroad students, and our group was actually a really cool group. So, it isn’t easy to branch out and make friends outside the program without feeling a little FOMO. But I pushed myself to meet locals and people outside my program, and I am so happy I did!

Wow. 

I can't believe that this amazing study abroad experience has come to an end. 

    One month down, and a little over one month left to go until I’m back home in America. Time seems to fly by here, and it feels like I haven’t been able to do half of what I’ve wanted to do during my time here. Between visiting the beaches at Santa Marinella, hiking and swimming in Cinque Terre, touring Pompeii, visiting the Amalfi Coast, cliff jumping in Sorrento, and exploring Rome even more than I already have, not a moment that’s passed has been boring or uninteresting.

There’s no point in sugar-coating it- study abroad so far has been a mixed bag. Managing the push and pull of wanting to explore an entire country and of making the most of an almost-job is a whole bunch, all at once. Just to show you how great and awful of a time I’m having all at once, here’s an example of all of it smooshed into one weekend.

Phase 1) me, missing Kansas and Toto.

During the semester, I’ve been volunteering with an organization weekly and with another periodically. Volunteering with these organizations shaped my study abroad experience in multiple different ways: I was forced to speak Spanish, I got to meet many locals and people from around the world, I was able to learn a different aspect of Buenos Aires, the capital and the province, and contextualize the social issues and statistics we talk about.

I volunteered with two organizations: Pilares and Techo.

Originally this post was just going to be about a haircut, but then I realized adding fish ice cream made for not only a better title, but also a more aesthetically pleasing cover photo. And so if I haven't confused you enough - allow me to explain my first month (yes... month!) in Madrid:

It’s been a whirlwind since coming back from Chile — when you study abroad, it’s almost as if you’re in a little capsule far far away from the rest of the world. When you return, you realize life has been moving just as steadily without you and you must race to catch up.

I was thrown back in the game immediately, back to my studies and responsibilities and my summer gigs. Life continues, and I haven’t yet given myself time to reflect on my experience, even though it’s only been a week.

Disclosure: this photo was taken during February, the peak of Chilean summer. It is now May, and oh yes. Winter is coming.