WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS WHILE ABROAD, AND WHY?
I think an important aspect I'll always tell people is that every day I journaled and took ten minutes to just soak in where I was and how grateful I was to be there. Studying abroad is a once in a lifetime experience and every weekend when I was in a new country, I would sit and appreciate where I was and take in everything: scenery, people, little details, food, etc. For younger students especially, this is a time when you have little to no responsibilities, no dependents, and hopefully minimal outside stressors. This is time for yourself to be on your own and grow before real life hits you after college.

HOW DID YOU ENGAGE WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WHILE ABROAD?
While studying abroad, I established a relationship early on with service workers in my area that I saw frequently. For example, I introduced myself to the barista at the coffee shop next to my apartment and let her know that it was my first time every studying Spanish. Moving forward, she would speak to me slower and try to help me learn! Small relationships like this with the local community is what helped me pick up Spanish so fast and get the most out of my time in Spain.