I began my journey to Cádiz, Spain with feelings of doubt,
fear, and confusion due to unexpected changes in travel plans. With my brain
scattered and plans falling apart, I had to leave everything that was familiar
and comfortable behind temporarily, whether I was ready or not. Flying by
myself was a terrifying thought but I soon found some comfort by meeting my
other classmates who I would soon build great friendships with.
Upon reaching
Madrid’s airport, navigating to get to my bag and then to the train station was
an adventure in its own. Who would have thought it would take me three hours to
get from my plane to the train? Definitely not me, keep in mind my Spanish
speaking skills were equivalent to a toddlers at this point. I finally board
the train with a sense of relief and fatigue, thinking all of my troubles are
behind me, I was mistaken. Somewhere in Seville our train lost power
completely, and with that goes the A/C. Here I am sitting amongst Spanish
strangers in what felt like a toaster oven in the middle of a pass over bridge.
All information regarding the status of the train was of course given in
Spanish at a rapid pace, therefore I had to just sit back and wait in confusion
for three hours until the train finally began to function again. I finally
reach the train station in Cádiz where I meet my host family, Manolo and Ani
Martinez, some of the sweetest and most loving people I have ever met in my
life.
Over the course of the program, I would soon feel as if I was a part of
their real family. As soon as the program started, each day seemed to have
flown by. With my many adventures and fun nights with my classmates, I had
experiences that I will never forget. My Spanish skills also improved drastically
through the classes I took and by talking with the people of Cádiz. The full
immersion experience was definitely the best and most fun way to learn the
language. Lastly, La Playa de Caleta was an absolute dream. A short ten-minute
walk from my host house and I was at the beautiful shore. To study abroad is a
major blessing, but to also have the beach close is a miracle. I absolutely
loved my study abroad experience, the good and the bad. No other place matches Cádiz,
Spain, a city with unique charm and beauty.
