So many of my experiences abroad have been meaningful to me. The most impactful experience I had was on my trip to Madrid, Spain over spring break. I went with some of my friends for a couple days. The first night we were there, we went to the Temple of Debod, which is a famous landmark. The temple was a gift from Egypt to Madrid as a thank you for helping them save their temples from flooding. This is located in a park that overlooks some of the city. We planned to go up there around sunset so we could enjoy the park, the view, and the temple. We went there and admired the temple and walked around the park. Around the time the sun was setting, two people started setting up instruments. My friends and I were curious so we stayed around to listen to the music. The music was so good and very engaging. It was also beautiful because the sunset was in the background. There were so many people gathered around, listening and enjoying the music. Everyone was dancing and my friends and I joined in for a little.

What made this so impactful to me was the fact that everyone was just taking in the moment. There were so many people with so many different backgrounds, perspectives, and way of life. But, somehow, we all ended up there together simply living in the moment and enjoying other strangers’ company. It felt so wholesome, and gave me a new perspective. Another thing that made it impactful was the fact that my friends and I just happened to stumble upon this. We hadn’t planned to listen to live music, we didn’t know they were going to be there, and yet this ended up being one of my favorite memories from studying abroad. It taught me that not everything has to have a strict schedule, and the best moments are often unplanned. I will truly cherish this memory forever.