¡Hola from here in Salem New Hampshire!
My summer study abroad experience came to an end a week ago and now instead of writing from the terrace of my Barcelona apartment I’m writing this post on the couch at my house. It has been quite a change going from living the busy city life of Barcelona back to my hometown. I was definitely excited to get home and see my family, my friends, my dogs, and to be able to buy a full sized coffee on the go. However, a few days later, I caught a case of what I’ve been referring to as “post Europe blues”.
Studying abroad is an experience that allows you to open your eyes, re-examine your values, yourself, your priorities, and even the world in general. You really go outside of yourself and gain new and insightful perspectives and it’s hard to part with a location that has helped you experience such feelings.
The last few adventures that I had before leaving Spain were unforgettable. The excursion that our group took to the Costa Brava was absolutely beautiful and we were able to see some really interesting museums and locations. We took a tour around the Salvador Dali museum, which held some of the most bizarre and fascinating art I’ve ever seen. We were also able to tour the summer home of Dali and that was really quite memorable as well. This excursion was a great time for the 12 of us in the ASA (Academic Studies Abroad) group to spend a lot of time together.
Traveling to Ibiza with a group of my friends was one of the most fun things I've ever done. We were able to stay there for three nights and had the time of our lives. None of us were familiar with the area so we just kind of went wherever the tide took us…literally. We wandered to different beaches, took a day trip on an ocean cruise, and explored random and crazy places. One day we decided to find cliffs to jump off into the ocean. This was my first time cliff jumping and it was so amazing to share that wild experience with my study abroad friends. That was truly an unforgettable time.
It still doesn't feel real to me that my summer journey in Barcelona has already come to an end. I feel like I should be waking up in my little apartment, rushing out the door to catch the metro for class, wandering around and getting lost in the beautiful city with my friends, or dozing off on the Barceloneta beach.
The lifestyle that I lived in Barcelona is different than anything I’ve ever experienced. I miss being able to walk to the closest grocery store to pick up the bare necessities with my roommate and I miss the busy and colorful streets that held outdoor café tables covered in tiny cappuccinos and croissants. There are so many aspects of the culture I grew fond of and continue to think about here at home. Since leaving Barcelona, my mom and I have been walking rather than driving to the grocery store nearby, which is helping me hold on to some of that European lifestyle.
Before I left for Barcelona, studying away for six weeks seemed to be the perfect amount of time, if not a little on the long side. Now, my only regret I have with this whole experience is not choosing to stay for an entire semester. There are still so many parts of Spain I wish to explore and I’m already planning to return after I complete my senior year of college. In fact, I hope to travel all around Europe.
Studying in Barcelona is one of the best decisions I've ever made and it feels amazing to say that at such a young age. I’ve met people and made friends that I will never forget and I feel like I’ve grown as a person throughout the entire journey. I’m forever grateful to have had such an amazing and unforgettable experience.
I just have one warning to any of you that plan on studying abroad...Beware of the travel bug, once you get it, there’s no shaking it! So see the world, follow your hearts, and live it up!
Read Emily's blog article
Emily Begins her Barcelona Adventure
Exploring Spain while Studying Abroad
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Hello! My name is Emily Breen and I’m going to be a senior at UNH Manchester starting the fall semester of 2014. I’m from Salem New Hampshire and I graduated from Salem High School in 2011. I started off my college career as an education major but decided shortly after that I wanted to study business instead with a concentration in marketing.
