Last April I found out that I was going to be moving to Spain for ten months. I had so many different emotions when I found out. I was excited for new adventures, nervous about making new friends and also a little bit sad knowing I had to leave my family (and cats) behind. On September 8, 2018, I said goodbye to my family and to the United States. I boarded a one-way flight to Madrid, Spain and set off for my Fulbright year! I’m not going to lie, there were more than a few tears shed when I hugged my family goodbye, but overall, I was thrilled to explore Spain.
I remember my first few weeks in Spain being a huge adjustment because I had so much to do. First of all, Spain is seven hours ahead of Chicago, so it took me at least a week to adjust to the time difference. I was very tired at first. Lucky for me, Spain has siesta (nap) time every day from 2-5pm. I took many naps then! I also had to look for my own apartment, set up a Spanish bank account and phone plan - all while trying to explore my new town and make new friends. Phew! Luckily, I had studied in Spain for four months while I was in college, so I was used to the currency, the Euro. I also knew some Spanish to help me communicate with the locals.
