They say all good things must eventually come to an end, and
it’s sad to know that my semester abroad has pretty much run its
course. However, the friendships I have formed on this trip will
last a lifetime and I’ll never forget all the incredible places
I’ve seen.
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First off, I’ve got to tell you what I did for Spring Break: I
went backpacking through Europe with my cousin, who came from
America to visit me in Salamanca! Instead of just lounging around
on a beach and taking it easy – typical Spring Break stuff – I
instead got to see even more cool sights and visit additional
European countries.
While traveling around, we observed a number of Holy Week
festivities throughout the streets of Spain; we ate Belgian waffles
right in the heart of Brussels, which were truly delicious; we
checked out the Museum District in Amsterdam; and we even passed by
Anne Frank’s house, which was incredible. I also took my cousin to
Paris and showed off some of the best cafes that I had discovered
when I was studying there weeks earlier.
Once I arrived back in Salamanca and said goodbye to my cousin,
I began preparing for my final days here in Europe. To enjoy the
beautiful Spanish scenery one last time, I went with my fellow St.
John’s students to take a nice little walk up the mountains.
Unfortunately, I didn’t quite realize what I was signing myself up
for when I agreed to this ‘hike.’
After an hour-long drive to Alberca, we took an additional
40-minute ride to the mountains. But we didn’t stop there! We kept
on driving straight to the top of the mountain – and boy, was I
scared! As someone who’s not great with heights, I was frightened
as our bus trudged up the mountain. Once we reached the summit,
however, it was all worth it – it was a breathtaking experience. A
striking lone monastery was perched at the top of the mountain,
which we were sure to explore.
Afterwards, we drove down the mountain and reflected on our
European adventures. We even sang “Stand by Me” on the bus, which
turned out to be a really funny moment and shows just how fun it
was to hang out with the rest of the group!
From the moment I signed up for this program, I knew I was
diving into the experience of a lifetime. And even better: I was
able to record it and have you all follow along! I have traveled to
many countries and now I can brag to my friends and future
coworkers that I was lucky enough to have studied in another
country. The experience has taught me a lot; I’ve become more
independent, focused, cultured and much more aware of the world
around me thanks to the classes I’ve taken.
As much fun as it was to live in Europe, I’m excited for the new
opportunities that await me once I’m back home in New York. I
encourage everyone who has the chance to sign up for a study-abroad
opportunity. When it comes to taking care of students, St. John’s
is at the top of the list!
It’s been a pleasure!