¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? My study abroad program is taking place at the Instituto Franklin at la Universidad de Alcalá. While I have not yet started my classes, I am so excited to study abroad in Spain. The University of Alcalá has a gorgeous campus which I am looking forward to exploring. I definitely want to make the most of my trip, so I also plan to explore Alcalá’s neighboring cities so as to not waste this wonderful opportunity to be in Europe. I plan on traveling to Barcelona and Morocco as well as Madrid which is only 30 minutes from Alcalá de Henares.  

Another thing I am excited about for this program is the weekly class field trips. It will be nice to explore what Spain has to offer with my classmates. I am really looking forward to trying out some restaurants while abroad and visiting cute shops. I have heard that some thrift stores in Madrid have really nice items so I will definitely check out some of those. There are also a few music festivals going on in Spain this summer so it would be cool to check those out. 

I am ecstatic to experience the culture in Alcalá de Henares. As the daughter of immigrants, I am used to living in a culture that is different from American culture. I have heard that Spanish culture is vibrant, welcoming, and warm so I think I will fit right in.  

As I stated in my previous blog post, while abroad, I will be taking Intermediate Spanish 4 and a Spanish oral communication class. Like Pitt, the University of Alcalá is a public university. I will be living on campus in a single dorm, so it will be similar to how I live during the school year at the University of Pittsburgh. I do also like how I will have my own bathroom while living on campus in Spain.  

July happens to be one of the hottest months in Spain so it will be interesting going to class every day in 90-degree weather. Most of the time at Pitt, it is cold or snowing so it will be nice to go to class in warm weather for a change.  

I am excited to see if my overall expectations for this trip are met or exceeded once it is over. I will be sure to keep you guys updated as the days progress! ¡Adios for now!