On Sep. 5 2025, my world—and the way I saw myself—changed forever.
Little did I know that on Sep. 5 2025, my entire life was about to change. Over the next three and a half months, I wandered Italy’s quaint streets with an Aperol spritz in hand, raised a giant beer at Oktoberfest, and enjoyed a relaxing spa day in Andorra. I scuba dived in Tossa de Mar, danced to Spanish beats in Barcelona, lingered in Amsterdam’s cozy cafés, and savored pints in Dublin while chatting in lively London pubs. I rode camels in Morocco, sipped hot wine in Slovakia, explored castles and cobblestone streets, and ended the journey with a sweet strudel in Prague.
Each day offered new sights, flavors, sounds, and faces, along with the thrill of not knowing how it would end.
From the moment I arrived, I was immersed in cultures and traditions that were both unfamiliar and fascinating. Every city challenged me, inspired me, and taught me something new—not just about the world, but about myself. I discovered the joy of wandering without a schedule, the thrill of meeting strangers who quickly became friends, and the wonder of seeing places I had only dreamed of. By the end of this journey, I had not only collected memories but also gained a new perspective that will shape how I live and see the world for years to come.
Traveling has always been a passion of mine; I have always wanted to go everywhere. In the fall of 2022, I saw an advertisement from EF Ultimate Break, a company that handles all your travel needs from flights to where you’re staying, the itinerary, including a travel guide for a group of 20 to 30 travelers, and all the traveler has to do is pay and wait in excitement. My mom decided that for Christmas, she would book me a trip with the company to London and Paris in March 2023. After thanking her graciously, I began dreaming about what the trip would be like. In the next few months, my thoughts were consumed by a countdown to the trip, a Pinterest board of cities, constantly checking the itinerary and building excitement, and deciding what outfits I’d pack. Once the trip rolled around, I was slightly anxious about going alone for a week with about 25 others, but the excitement overrode it. Once I landed and found the airport greeter, I knew everything was going to be okay. The trip was everything I had ever dreamed of and more. I could not believe I was casually in London, staring at Big Ben, riding the Tube, grabbing fish and chips, and getting a drink at a bar in London. Or in Paris, holding a baguette, having a glass of red wine, just sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower, as if I were in Emily in Paris. I took in every moment, people-watched the locals, and imagined what it was like to live in these beautiful cities. Like, no big deal, this is just your everyday life. The whole trip felt surreal. The eight-hour flight was dreadful, but at least I had hours to reminisce on the entire trip, scrolling through my entire camera roll, putting myself back in that moment. When I returned home, I had stories to tell to everyone who would listen. That week in London and Paris lit a spark in me—I realized how much I loved exploring new places, immersing myself in different cultures, and navigating the thrill of being on my own. It made me start thinking bigger: what if I could study abroad for an extended period and truly live in a new city?
The following year, after another trip with EF Ultimate Break to Italy, I decided to study abroad in the fall of my senior year. During my sophomore year of college, junior year rolled around, and I agreed that Barcelona, Spain, would be my home for three and a half months, with no idea what the future would hold. On Sep. 4, 2025, with three suitcases and a backpack, I began boarding my flight. As I walked through the catwalk, I was eager and did my lucky double tap right before I stepped onto the plane, knowing there was no going back. The moment I landed, I immediately fell in love with Barcelona. I exited the airport and ordered an Uber to my apartment, a sentence I still cannot believe was real. Once I settled in, I got to exploring the city with my new friends in my study abroad program. Looking back, everyone was so naive, not understanding what was coming or how much we would change.
Falling in love with Barcelona was the easiest thing I ever had to do. My day-to-day consisted of visiting my local coffee shop, peeking into the thrift store across the street, taking the metro, and collecting a million photos in my camera roll. No moment felt too big or too small. Luckily, I knew Spanish, and the chance to speak it every day felt like being back home. I studied at the Universitat de Autònoma de Barcelona, taking Catalan, a course in history and civilization, two art and history courses, and a course on communication and gender. Catalan is Barcelona’s local language. Learning Catalan felt a little challenging and familiar as it is similar to French, a language I knew bits of, and Spanish. I challenged myself to speak Catalan at least a couple of times a week.
I used to be a history hater; I could never fully grasp its importance or its fascination. I am making it my goal to learn more about the history of everything. I know it’s embarrassing and a little ignorant. My Spanish history courses made me fall in love with the subject; the class excursions that brought the local history to life had a huge impact. Walking through the Gothic Quarter, the Roman walls, and the museums, and holding onto every bit of information my professors explained to the class. In my communication course, I began to pay closer attention to my interactions with people. My interactions with my international friends revolved around politics and cultural differences. I took in their mannerisms, too, such as how confident and passionate Europeans speak. In conversations with my German and Danish friends, I was shocked by how different an American life is from theirs.
Culture is the most fascinating thing in the world. Cities and countries that are right next to each other can feel completely different, yet share surprising similarities and a few common traditions. The variety of languages—trying to spot connections between them—the spotless metros and streets, the emphasis on environmental friendliness with trash bins on every corner, traditions that feel both unique and familiar, and nightlife that offers its own distinct energy in each place—all of it makes traveling endlessly exciting.
A glance at study abroad, with twelve weekends, how can I maximize every moment and live with no regrets? Most of my weekends in Barcelona consisted of me being in a different city, surreal, I know. In a 40-by-20-by-25-centimeter backpack, how will you fit three days’ worth of clothes? If you do not have the right size, have fun paying $70 at the airport (especially for Ryanair), a moment every study abroad student experiences. Every trip, I come back with souvenirs, small keepsakes to save as reminders of the trip, so I am brought back to the experience every time I glance at them. A few moments I hold close to my heart, and I open my eyes even more to the world. My first trip was to Sorrento, Italy, where I encountered my first obstacle at the airport and quickly learned to double-check whether the airline sends a check-in email. As my friends went through security, I had to stay behind. Although I was filled with emotions, I was challenged to pull myself together and figure out a solution. I was filled with embarrassment and fear, but I knew this was a lesson: not every trip would be smooth sailing. The next obstacle was transportation. Boy, was that a mess. We quickly realized the extra €200 to fly directly to Naples would have saved us so much time, rather than a 12-hour travel day. We were exhausted, but the time we had left in Sorrento made up for the chaos. Two weeks later, it was La Mercè in Barcelona, my very first celebration. La Mercè is Barcelona’s biggest festival, featuring human towers, fire runs, parades, street performances, and elements of Catalan culture. Seeing everyone gather and enjoy all the cool, unique traditions was heartwarming. Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival, is held in Munich, Germany.
A holy-sh*t moment. Hundreds of people sleeping in an uncomfortable campsite, lining up at five in the morning, running to grab a table in a tent to drink a gallon of beer in their traditional German outfits. Sounds like a blast, right? And it was, even though it seems so silly, it was a bucket list item. Fast-forward to November, it is Halloweekend, or Halloween weekend. The biggest weekend of the year. Students from all over are coming to Barcelona, meeting hundreds of different people with different stories to tell and moments to bond over. Barcelona is known for its insane party culture. They know how to party; we have American pop, Spanish music, and electronic dance music on rotation in clubs and bars. The atmosphere is alive with people dancing their hearts out, singing along, reveling in the moment, sharing it with strangers, and even making new connections in the most unexpected places, like bathrooms. In the second weekend of November, I went back to London. I got to reexperience the magic. The pubs, which some do not play music in and focus on conversations between people, felt cozy and unnatural, as music is typically playing. Amsterdam was life-changing. The raves, the cafes, the marijuana, the delicious treats I stopped for whenever I saw one, the vintage market, the boat ride at night, and admiring the scenery and architecture. My second-to-last trip was to Morocco, a trip that resembled my Pinterest board. I never fully gathered how big a cultural difference it is to be in Africa. There are no words to explain how much this trip meant to me. Every single activity felt like a dream. I tried new foods, danced with people I had never met, rode camels and an ATV, pet so many cats, roamed the streets with a friend to grab a traditional meal, and listened to so many stories. Every city challenged me, inspired me, and taught me something new—not just about the world, but about myself.
Solo trips are among the most self-growth-inducing experiences someone can have. You are presented with a challenge: you have to be by yourself and avoid boredom for an entire trip. Most people are terrified of being by themselves. The challenge drives others. I took six solo trips throughout the three and a half months. I learned how to be bored, gained the confidence to try new things, took on challenges on my own, and took risks just because I could. Before I knew it, I could easily sit down in a restaurant alone, make conversations with strangers alone, go to a pub alone, and even go scuba diving alone. Everyone should take at least a few solo trips in their lifetime. A handful because the first one is always scary, the second one, you’re trying to get a feel of solo trip vibes, the third one, you’re finally confident and unstoppable, one is bound to have a challenge, and one will get so memorable you’ll wonder why you were ever nervous.
The lessons I learned from this experience will stay with me forever. If you are thinking about studying abroad, traveling, or just want life advice, here are a few things I’d like you to remember. First off, fear aside, your safety comes first; if you are still alive, you will be okay, but stay cautious. Say yes to everything, take as many risks as possible, and if anything, you can always just leave and do something else. Trust your gut.
Live a life with no regrets. There is never any harm in trying something new or asking locals questions; the worst they can say is no. Living with regret gives you a life you’re comfortable with, and being uncomfortable is where growth happens. Stay present and immerse yourself in the culture. Honestly, imagine what it is like to be a local. Walk mindlessly, as you never know what is right around the corner. Lastly, keep in mind that everything is a privilege, from breathing to walking, jet lag, and traveling, so stay grateful and know that whatever you may be doing is someone else’s dream.
Studying abroad was surreal. I became a changed human being. Everything about me is different, from the way I dress, how I behave, the music I listen to, and the way I think about life. I have gathered stories to tell for the rest of my life. To whoever is reading this, I challenge you to do something even if it feels scary, because it may change your life.