In honor of Valentine’s Day I was prompted to write a blog post about something I love about Ecuador and my study abroad experience thus far. While contemplating this question, I considered writing about the ease of traveling, or the amazing biodiversity of the land and the people, but after giving it much thought, I think what I have loved the most about this past month is the fact that every day is a new adventure.

The Power of Trust

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I started to think about what that I’ve grown to love here in Barcelona. Since doesn’t necessarily have to be romantic, I decided to think in broader terms. Forming a list wasn’t a difficult task. The city of Barcelona offers so many incredible things to love. But once I had my list, I struggled to select the one thing I love most about Barcelona. After much deliberation however, I have made my selection.

I love the people of Barcelona.

 

This past Friday I woke up at four o’clock in the morning, said goodbye to Barcelona, and headed off to Paris for a weekend with the French. I had never visited France prior to the trip, so it was time to find out for myself — is the Louvre really overrated? Are the French a friendly bunch? Is French food worth the price?

As part of our first IES sponsored trip, all Madrid students were treated to a day trip to one of Madrid’s most historical cities being Segovia. The day started bright early with buses departing Madrid promptly at 7:30 am. I made sure to have my bag packed the night before to assure nothing would be forgotten, most especially my trusted camera. I had a long night the night before so I skipped the scenic bus route and decided to catch up on some sleep on the 2-hour trip.

This weekend we decided to take a journey just outside the city to Bray. A seaside town about a 40 minute ride on the DART outside of Dublin, Bray is home to the childhood residence of the author James Joyce. Upon arriving on the DART, we took a trip up to Kilruderry House on the outskirts of Bray. The house has been used in a slew of movies and television shows, and today still operates as a farm. The house was unfortunately not open, but we took a stroll around the grounds on the picturesque country lanes around the property. 

One day it’s cold in Paris, one day its hot. This combination means that unfortunately for me, I’m prone to getting sick. Being sick anywhere sucks. Especially in Paris, where I want to explore as much as I can during my free time (like today for example). This has not been the case. I realize a cold is a cold. But my impatient self does not appreciate it one bit. I remember last semester at my home university when the study abroad office talked about getting sick while studying abroad, I bushed it off. Me, getting sick in Paris? As if.

Hopefully, the majority of those reading this caught the Mean Girls reference. I feel this movie quote is all too relevant when discussing the weather in Amsterdam. Seriously, one minute it is sunny, the next it's raining, and then it's sleeting with a mix of snow. Words of wisdom to those wishing to study abroad in Amsterdam during the spring semester, bring waterproof shoes and a very warm coat. When initially packing for my excursion, I had read the weather in the city is fairly mild in the winter with frequent rain showers.

My neighbor, also a full-year visiting student, is a gyminatrix who starts working out at 11 pm on a regular basis. Her boyfriend back home, well-versed in player stats of just any team in any sport, aspires to go straight into sports management after graduation.