I am currently about halfway through my UA faculty led intermediate macroeconomics study abroad trip in Croatia, and it has been absolutely incredible. Upon arriving in Zagreb, Croatia, I immediately noticed how different it is than any place I have ever visited before. I was a bit nervous at first, because I knew it would be a huge cultural adjustment. However, the friendliness of the Croatian people and my amazing classmates have made the adjustment much smoother than I ever could have imagined, as I now feel right at home. I was immediately awestruck by the beauty of this city. Zagreb is an extremely outdoorsy city surrounded by mountains. I found that there is plenty to do and discover, and I have not yet found myself lacking things to explore. Our class is very quick paced, but it is going great. We meet for lecture three days a week for a few hours each day and have taken a trip to the Central Bank of Croatia. I am learning a great amount about the Croatian economy and its currency transition from the Kuna to the Euro. Our professor has planned weekend trips to other eastern European cities as well, so we get to experience and explore more than Croatia. Last weekend, we took a trip to Ljubljana, Slovenia and Venice, Italy. Both of these cities were incredibly beautiful, but Venice was definitely my favorite. My favorite part about Venice was getting to ride in a gondola and eating authentic Italian food. We are now in Pula, Croatia for class and go to the beach every day when we get done with the lecture. I am having the time of my life, and I understand that this study abroad trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I will forever be thankful for. I know I will not be ready to leave once the time comes!