My time in Barcelona felt like a 3-month long siesta I never wanted to wake up from!

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to visit Europe and specifically Barcelona, Spain. Mostly because I saw Cheetah Girls 2 when I was younger. Despite my strong desire, I was still relatively nervous when I discovered the opportunity through AIFS to study abroad in my dream city to complete my Spanish minor. However, any worries or anxieties I had quickly disappeared as soon as I stepped foot in the city and immediately fell in love. First of all, the warm greeting by the AIFS staff was truly heartfelt and very much appreciated as I could tell how much they cared about us students. Even though I went by myself, I quickly made friends not only with other AIFS students but also with locals. The best part, and also what I am most proud of, was how drastically my Spanish speaking abilities improved! I previously had always struggled to speak Spanish in my classes at my home university. Being in Spain however, allowed me to gain the much needed confidence to allow my abilities to flourish. Aside from all of the great times I had in Barcelona, being able to travel all around Europe was a plus too! Even though I have been back in America for over 6 months, a part of my heart will always be in Spain as I search daily for opportunities to return.