Rain or Shine - San Sebastian Is One of a Kind

My experience in San Sebastian, Spain will forever hold a special place in my heart. When I arrived in mid-January, it rained for three weeks straight. With that being said, a rain coat, rain boots and an umbrella are essential to flourishing here. However, when the sun finally came out, I saw the city for everything it is - gorgeously antique buildings surrounded by picturesque beaches occupied by some of the most genuine people I have ever met. While abroad I took 14 credits of Spanish. 12 hours were with my class of 5 American students and our fantastic professor Mari Mar and the other 2 hours were from my cooking and surfing class. Because those 2 classes were taught in English and Spanish, I was able to earn credit for them at my home university. I strongly recommend taking the extra courses because they allow you to experience aspects of the Basque culture which are very important to the citizens of San Sebastian. The program director and staff were like a second family to me while I was abroad. When I lost my wallet, they helped me every step of the way to eventually recovering it from the local police station. When I had housing issues, they proactively rearranged and I ended up with an ever better housing situation. I cannot rave enough about my time spent in San Sebastian, but I can leave a quote that best describes my experience: "You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place."