Barcelona was amazing! I am so glad that I went there. Barcelona has many things to offer from laying on the beach to going to the markets in the Ramblas Blvd. I spent 3 days in Barcelona and I did so much. First I went to park Guell and to the Gaudi Museum. That was really awesome. The park has a stunning view of Barcelona and the Gaudi museum was spectacular and clearly showed his style and way of thinking. I then went to the beach. WOAH! Beautiful, amazing, stunning, gorgeous all words I could use to describe the beach and its boardwalk.

A few months ago I decided I would go Paris, Barcelona and Rome for spring break. I wanted to do a small tour of western Europe because I have never been in Europe and I wanted to check it out. So far so good! Paris was my first stop, I must admit I was quite nervous because I was continuously being advised to be careful about pickpockets, but nothing has happened and I am having the time of my life. Paris is a dream come true. The most impressive thing is its architecture. Most buildings seem to have an impressive gothic style.

Last Friday, I took a quick flight to Lisbon to meet my family for spring break. I waited eagerly at the arrival gate, watching as each new traveler passed through the doors, hoping it was them. When they finally came through, I ran over to the ramp to hug them for the first time since January.

Last weekend, my host mother took me on a trip! We went on a three-hour drive to Shirakawa-go, a region famous for its traditional-style farmhouses. Shirakawa-go is also an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and I was very excited to see the rural farmhouses that I have only seen in photos. We went to an outdoor museum, which had a collection of various types of farmhouses and the tools used for farm work in Japan.

Last week I had the refreshing opportunity to view Milan with new eyes. A friend from home was visiting for the day, and I had some time to show her my adopted city of the past few months. Before she arrived, I thought for a while about what the best sights would be to give her an idea the character of the area and also of Italy in general, as it was her first time visiting the country.