My name is Kayla, and I swapped my "howdys" for "holas" when I moved from Houston, Texas to Vilagarcía de Arousa, Spain. My desire to explore the world started when I was little and my favorite game to play was one that my brother and I made up called Explorer. We would spend hours making a cardboard boat, and then we would sit in it while my dad watched his documentaries (movies about real people, places, and events) on TV. It was so fun to imagine that we were exploring the places the documentaries showed—rainy jungles, old cities, tall mountains, and so much more. I wish I could go back in time to those moments and tell younger Kayla how lucky she is, because right now, I’m getting to see some of those places in person!
In Spain, every day is a new adventure. I love hiking the mountains here or visiting the beach near my house, but when you live somewhere new, even chores like laundry can be different and exciting! Sometimes I miss my friends at home, but I am also making lots of friends here, and there are some things that I do not miss about home, like how hot it is! Exploring the real world is a lot harder than watching a documentary, but I hope that through my journey, you will see that it’s definitely worth it. Who knows, maybe after hearing my stories, you will want to become an explorer too!
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbright Scholar like me? The Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program. Fulbrighters foster mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, share knowledge across communities, and improve lives around the world. Learn more by clicking here!
