I have just finished packing the majority of my items. I leave tomorrow and I want to make sure I have everything I will need for my trip. Asides from clothes, some of my items include:
- Grocery bags (not all countries in Europe give plastic bags)
- Hand sanitizer
- Bed sheets (my apartment doesn’t include sheets)
- First aid kit
- Phone battery
- Backpack
- Glasses/sunglasses
- Passport
- Euros
- Notebooks
- Pencils/pens
- Books
As you can see in the image above, my dog is going to miss me. Whenever we leave to go on vacation, he will use our luggage as a bed as if to say “Please don’t go! Take me with you.” I will miss him a lot, but I will bring him something nice.
I have been to Barcelona in the past and I also speak Spanish, so I am not too concerned about feeling like a “fish out of the water.”
My first priorities upon arriving in the city are to check in and settle in my apartment, meet my roomate(s), buy a Metro card, buy some groceries at a local supermarket, and purchase a SIM card for my phone. After this has been done, I plan on exploring the city, particularly my class location. I need to go to bed early in order to adjust to the jet lag and wake up early for the first day of orientation.
My family has asked me to keep in touch constantly and to buy them massive amounts of souvenirs.
In Europe, it is very convenient and cheap to travel to nearby countries. I hope to travel to Italy, Morocco, Portugal, and Germany.
In Barcelona, I plan on taking cooking classes for paella, tapas, and, maybe, baking. I also have some friends that are studying abroad or on vacation in the area. I plan on having lunch with them or finding some fun activities to do together.
Overall, I am very excited to travel independently and experience a new culture. I plan on carefully administering my time and money to make the most out of this great blessing.