When I first had the idea to study abroad at the beginning of last year, all of my friends were perplexed and confused with the idea. Some view it as a foreign concept at UA. That reaction made this decision a little scarier, as I knew I would be going basically alone. I was scared of missing out on memories and events in Tuscaloosa during the Spring which makes me laugh looking back at it. Being from in-state and belonging to a sorority filled with mainly in-state girls, I knew I needed to do something to step outside my comfort zone. While I love my friends with my entire heart, I viewed study abroad as the perfect escape for me no matter how terrifying. I thought when I arrived in Spain, it would take a while to make friends, and everyone would already be cliqued up. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I am only 2 months into my program, and I can tell you with 100% certainty I have found some of my lifelong friends. It makes me laugh thinking about how stressed I was about coming abroad, because now the thought of leaving makes me sick. My homebase is Madrid, Spain, and I would recommend it to anyone as an amazing abroad home base. It is clean, safe and so so beautiful. I am so grateful that I made the decision to come abroad, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of my semester has in store.
