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• The best thing about being home is that every thing is familiar. I don’t have to ask permission to do anything and daily life isn’t a mystery. The very best thing is that I got to see my family, friends and my lovely dog.
• Before coming to Spain, I originally believed that my Spanish was great. For some reason while I was there, I had a harder time communicating. I had to learn that every Spanish speaking country has their own words and ways of communicating.
• I don’t really wish I did anything different in Spain. I learned how to navigate in another country, live with a host family, and learned a new culture.
• What I miss most from being abroad is the environment. I loved how everyone was so relaxed and friendly.
• Pro tip – You are going to be jet lagged for a bit after you travel. I had a 12 hour direct flight back to the U.S. and it took me a few days to acclimate.

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During this program it was rare to have free time. I was taking four classes and every day we had a group activity. On the weekends we had excursions but, they were mostly optional. When I had free time some friends and I would go to a bar and drink landron de manzana (a type of apple cider) and eat tapas. This became a great way to meet others in the group and practice our Spanish. At night a group of us would go to the bars and clubs. Salamanca is a collage town therefore, there are a lot of options. If you really want to experience a true Spanish bar, you will have to wait until 3 am. Everyone goes out at 3 am. How I spent my free time in Spain was no different than how I spent my time in the states. The only positive that Spain has over the U.S. is the food and drinks are way cheaper.

What to bring:

Before going to Salamanca, I had to make a list of what to pack. A month abroad is a long time therefore I wanted to pack efficiently. I brought two weeks worth of shirts, a couple of dresses, a weeks worth of shorts, a bathing suite, a pair of walking sandals and a pair of nice sandals. It’s was very important to pack light because the airline I took had a 50 pound weight limit.

What not to bring:

I can only write from a women’s perspective but, here are some recommendations. It’s not necessary to bring heels. In Salamanca EVERYONE walks in this city therefore unless your shoes are really comfortable don’t wear them. It’s is also not a great idea to bring a lot of makeup. It gets very hot in Spain and unless you bring water proof makeup, you will be sweating it off.

Pro tips:

If you are traveling to Europe buy an adapter for your electrical cords and bring a lot of cash. The best option is to exchange dollars into euros at a bank but, check for the best exchange rate. If your pull out money from an ATM there would be a large fee to do so. If you need to bring extra medication on your trip, go to your pharmacy month in advance and get an extras so don’t run out.

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My favorite group excursion was when we visited Madrid. On the fifteenth of June we took a two hour bus ride to the capital. I was so excited because we were going to visit two famous museums: Mueso del Prado and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. We were also allowed to have one hour of free time to explore the city before going to the museums. Other attractions we got to visit were the Real Madrid stadium and the plaza in Madrid.

During my hour of free time my friends and I walked in and out of stores and tried a local frozen yogurt chain (it was called Llaollao, it was super good). First museum we visited was Mueso del Prado and it was amazing. I love art and there was art from Picasso and Velazquez. We only had an hour to see the museum but, in my opinion it wasn’t enough. I could have spent a whole day there because it was so big.

The second museum, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia had more modern art. Most of the art had a message about current political issues and world problems. We had the same amount of time to visit this museum and it wasn’t enough.

After this excursion Madrid became one of my favorite cities. It reminded me of a small New York but much older. It has so many historical buildings with beautiful architecture. I am definitely bringing my family back here in the future.

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I haven’t had any real challenges with the language or the new culture. The only thing that I really suffered from was being sick. On my first full day in Spain I had two ear infections and a throat infection. I arrived two days early and stayed in Madrid, therefore I went to the emergency room by myself. One thing that I love about Spain is that medical visits are free and everyone in the hospital was so kind. The only thing I had to pay for was the medicine. At the end of the second week I also caught pink eye, I know, I was a mess. I recommend while studying abroad, you need to talk to your group leader the second you feel bad. They will help you and take you to a doctor. Me being sick didn’t have anything to do with being in Spain, only that I had bad luck. If you have issues with the language or adjusting to the culture, have some patience and you will become accustomed.

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The food in Salamanca, Spain is very different than in the United States. Here are some of my favorite foods so far:

Paella – This is a great dish that is VERY famous in Spain. It’s made up from rice, various types of fish, and seasoning.

Gelato – There is gelato all over this country! Whenever the weather is nice (which is very often) I end up getting gelato. It’s so fresh and unlike anything I’ve tasted in the states.

Tapas – Tapas in Spain are the same as appetizers in the states. After class or later at night, friends and I would go to a bar and order tapas. Some of the best are patatas bravas and pizza. Patatas bravas are cut up potatoes with sauce on top (very similar to In-N-Out secret sauce). The pizza is so good here with goat cheese and caramelized onions. Highly recommend getting tapas in Spain, it’s a big part of their culture.

Landron de manzana – This is my favorite drink to order whenever I go to a bar. It is equivalent to a spiked apple cider but smoother.

Eating out is a very big part of Spain and its so different than in the U.S. So many cafes have outside seating and the waiters don’t rush you. All the people around you and eating and enjoying their time. The vibes are so positive and the atmosphere is like something from a movie.  

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My first day in Salamanca was incredibly hot. All the students and faculty took a two hour bus ride from the airport in Madrid. When we got there I got to meet my wonderful host parents and their lovely grand daughter. They live in a nice apartment and I got to share a large room with my awesome roommate from NAU. My host parents and my roommate have been amazing to live with and they make great food.

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I wanted to study abroad through Northern Arizona University to experience another country. My major is education and Spanish therefore traveling to Spain would be a great opportunity to practice my Spanish. Another reason why I chose this program is because two amazing Spanish teachers (Professors Ed Hood and Sofia Wolhein) from NAU are coming to teach. I have always wanted to see Spain and I am incredibly to go.

To prepare for my month long trip I prepared two weeks in advance. I went to my local pharmacy and ordered a month supply of my medicines. I also checked the weather in Salamanca to make sure what clothes I needed to bring. This program planned out all of our excursions, so I didn’t have to worry about booking anything. For my plane ticket I bought it in December to try and decrease the cost.

I am so looking forward to this amazing experience. I look forward to learning more about the Spanish language and making memories in a new country. I have already studied abroad to Costa Rica through NAU and it loved it. I am not really nervous about anything and my goals are to enjoy my time.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton