Se dice que todo en esta vida es temporal, asi que cuando cosas vayan bien, disfrutalas porque no duraran para siempre — in a nutshell, all good things come to an end.

It’s a fact of life that all things have to come to an end, but these last 3 months were especially enjoyable.

From the internship experience, to the nightlife, to the museums, to the architecture, to the parks, to my host family, to the Spanish culture, each element of this trip helped me to experience a new culture and country in the best way.

I always learn something new about myself when I go abroad. One of the things I learned about myself this trip was how much I value my familial bonds and friendships. Being away from everyone for this long made me realize how important it is to stay in contact with those that are close to you. I think being able to juggle relationships back home, and forge new ones abroad is a valuable skill, especially for a person who wants to live and work abroad for at least 2 years. Speaking of forging new relationships, the picture above was taken in Alicante, Spain during the San Juan festival. I met a few people who were from Seville, who relayed to me their experience as gypsies living in Spain and the stereotypes they have to think about.

These authentic conversations about the ugly parts of the human experience are what I value the most when I go abroad. Especially as an African-American male, I know how I can be perceived in American society, I find it interesting to see that some of these negative stereotypes aren’t widely diffused in other countries. They told me how they face discrimination in their own communities, and it made me realize how trivial differences can have large impacts on someone’s life.

Another thing that wasn’t exactly learned, but rather reaffirmed was my love for traveling, working, and meeting people abroad. One of my short term goals is to work as a consultant for McKinsey  because of the flexibility to travel and work abroad. From doing this program, I’ve gained valuable lessons and experience that will be impressive on any resume. More and more I’m learning that I’ve chosen the right path, these 3 months confirmed that for me.