Here are five survival tips tips to guide you through your next hostel experience!

1. The safety of you and your belongings should always be a priority. Most hostels provide lockers. You may even be able to rent a lock for them. Just in case, always bring a lock of your own! Once your belongings are secure, be sure to look out for yourself. Remember not to leave any cash or credit cards laying around. Keep all of your important documents and electronics secure and stowed in travel pouches for easy organization.

2. Bring a towel. Towels are not always provided at hostels. Always come equipped with Grand Trunk’s Pack Towel. It’s made of soft microfiber fabric that leaves you dry, and has a button closure so you can wear it around your chest or waist without fear that it will fall down in front of those really hot German backpackers.

3. If things seem grim…brush your teeth with bottled water. If you suspect that the water quality is dismal, use bottled water to brush your teeth. Ingesting unclean water can result in e. coli, parasites, cholera, dysentery, among other things. Always be wise about your health. Look up water conditions at your destination before travelling.

4. If the water quality is fine in your hostel, it is wise to invest in a water bottle. Most hostels have water and other beverages for sale, but if you are not able to part with the money – a sturdy Stainless Steel Water Bottle will save you cash. Buying a reusable water bottle is one of the smartest investments you can make when you travel. It is an eco-friendly and useful way to stay hydrated when you are roaming around the city and wilderness alike.

5. Hostels often require you to bring your own bedding. Or, trust us, you want to bring your own even if they do provide it. The Bamboo Sleep Sack is lightweight and won’t take up much room in your luggage, and it will be a clean and comfortable solution for your bunk.

We hope these tips helped you! Good luck on your next adventure!

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We hung out and swam for a while, but the rain forced us to drive back and we returned the rental car catching the ferry back to Split. We got back late just before dinner and grabbed some showers, then went on a discounted bar crawl through the town arranged by our tour. The crawl made for a late night but our arranged activity for the next day was a boat cruise to some more islands. The weather was pretty crappy and heavy waves/sea sicknesses made the cruise come home early, we did however get in our fair share of Titanic pictures and ate a lovely fish lunch on the boat. The previous eventful days and long bus ride made for an early night, preparing for KrKa National Park early in the morning.

Krka National Park was easily one of the coolest parks I have ever been to, and all the pedestrian walkways are literally over water. The main part that it is know for is called Skradinski buk along the Krka river. In an area of 400 meters in length there are a total of 17 waterfalls flowing, and due to the wealth and variety of forms, vegetation, and effects of whirlpools, it is considered to be one of the most beautiful calcium carbonate waterfalls in Europe. The amount of natural waterways and rich green vegetation is what really made this visit the highlight of our Croatia trip. The only thing that could have made it better is if I ran into Toni Kukoc! After swimming at the main waterfall area, we had an even longer bus ride back to Rome of 20 hours because of a minor accident. I decided that I am never going on a bus for over 8 hours ever again since I am terrible at sleeping on public transport, driving to Ohio from Wisconsin for school for 8 hours is the cutoff!

We got back into Rome at 5:00am and checked in to The Yellow hostel. After sleeping a bit we headed to Vatican City, the Spanish Steps, and Trevee Fountain…round two of Rome for me. My friends toured the Vatican Meusem while I went to the river and then climbed up to the top of the cupola overlooking Vatican City! This was a very moving experience for me. Once I got down we went to the Old Bridge gelato spot and back near our hostel for dinner. We stopped at a recommended place and I ate some eggplant pizza and delicious pasta for dinner.

We were able to fit in the Coliseum the Roman Forum the next day before heading over to Amsterdam for my birthday!

My two friends Andrew, Brett, and I went on a morning flight then hopped on a train through the country to arrive in downtown Amsterdam. We checked in at the Flying Pig hostel and met up with my friend Sean who took us to a bar to watch the Champions League soccer match between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. He gave us a great tour of the city since he had been there for the whole semester, and he took us out for my 21st birthday as well! Lets just say turning 21 abroad is very anticlimactic compared to turning 21 in the states, but we still had a blast. We stopped by the red light district that night as well before heading back to the Flying Pig. We were able to go to the Anne Frank house as well, but my favorite part of the trip was the Heineken experience…I could have spent days in there! In just the 2 days alone I think it is safe to say ten bikers almost hit me as well, they are everywhere.

The very last stop on our spring break trip was over to Interlaken, Switzerland. Andrew, Brett, and I flew into the Geneva airport where we took a train through the backcountry and Swiss Alps, winding around lakes and lush hills, finally arriving to our town nestled between two lakes. We stayed at the Funny Farm hostel, which seemed like a huge hotel and we enjoyed a room all to ourselves with a view of some snowcaps. Along with the previous week of travelling, the rain seemed to be following us so our first day of planned activities was hindered. The next day however Brett was able to go mountain biking, Andrew skydiving, and I enjoyed paragliding down over the town of Interlaken. All of these things we did were
heightened because we were doing them right in the Swiss Alps, with spectacular 360 degree views! On the last day we were able to take a tram up to a viewing point off one of the mountains, and again saw breathtaking views and other paragliders floating down. We also stepped foot in some snow for the first time on the trip!

Interlaken was a very good time, and our journey back to Geneva was going to involve an overnight in the airport because of the way we scheduled our flights. Needless to say it was the worst sleep I have ever gotten, although it was quite comical when we saw one of our friends studying abroad with us roll into the airport around 11pm without any of us knowing she was going to be there! The entire trip was capped off by seeing a man in the airport dressed as your typical traveler: Laos tee shirt, two fanny packs, high socks with sandals, all at five in the morning! For now, we were back off to Alicante to start some sailing classes on Monday.

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After picking up our Audi rental car, we drove not too far to the south side of the near Palma de Mallorca to our hotel, Hotel Balear. We moved our luggage in despite the misty rain, and walked over to the beach to spot some windsurfers and stand-up paddleboarders. The activity on the water was quite enjoyable from our beachfront restaurant where we ate some paella, fish, and calamari. Later that day, we relaxed and planned the rest of the afternoon, which deemed to be one of my favorite parts of the trip.

We drove a few miles out of the town but had to stop at a local travel agency where we picked up some maps, which routed us through Campos and Santanyí, ending up at Cala Santanyí and Es Pontas. The rock formation is probably one of the most famous deep water solo routes in the World. If you are not familiar with climbing, a deep water solo is when someone rock climbs with no harness and if they fall, they simply splash in the water below. Chris Sharma, one of the world’s best climbers, is known for completing this extrememly difficult route. It was Amazing seeing this natural beauty on the movie King Lines, and breathtaking to
see it in person, especially when the sun was creating majestical colors over the Mediterranean. After Es Pontas we headed to a private Beach in Cala Santanyí for some photos and a wonderful sunset.

The next day we drove to our hotel, La Dorada, on the north side of the island. We explored through winding roads that were barely the width of two cars and also dominate to tons of cyclists. The roads had flimsy guardrails also, and stretching beyond most of them were thousand foot drops into theMediterranean. We ended up at Cap Formentor, the Northern most point on Mallorca and also explored Camí de Cala Figuera, a rocky beach with with the bluest water I have ever seen in my life. My brother enjoyed a swim then we drove back to our hotel where we ate some jamón sandwiches, drank some homemade sangria, and I endulged in some pool Zorbing for the evening. Mallorca was an absolute blast, and the one thing that stook out the most was the amount of bikers and Germans on the island! It seems as if what Florida is to the United States, Mallorca seems to be the vacation spot for Germany.

All five of us took an early afternoon flight back to Spain’s mainland, this time stopping in Barcelona. It was my first hostel experience at Hostal Agua Alegre, where we took up the biggest room on the top floor. We got situated then planned what we wanted to see during our stay and on the first day walk down Las Ramblas, to the Port, and back up through the Gothic Quarter. Along the way we ran into one of my friends Rosie who was studying abroad with me in Alicante, and ended up eating a big tapas dinner with both of our families that night! After the Gothic Quarter we went to the Cathedral of Barcelona for Easter or Semana Santa and said some prayers. We also walked to some works of Antoni Gaudi, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, and over to La Sagrada Familia. We spent much time in the Sagrada Familia park in awe of the cathedral that is still currently being built and so intricate in detail. Our day ended by taking some more photos at el Torre Agbar, after a much needed rest was taken with some jugo de tamarindo.

The next day we spent most of the afternoon wandering Gaudi’s Park Güell, featuring much mosaic work and religious symbolism. We saw Rosie and her family again here, and also met up with another one of my longtime friends Sean, who is studying abroad in Holland like Michael! After seeing many of the main highlights of the huge park, we grabbed some lunch and took the metro back
to our hostel. Towards the evening my brothers and I geared up to go to the FC Barcelona soccer match against Getafe, and my friends tagged along as well to scalp some tickets. It was amazing sitting about 10 rows up behind the net in Camp Nou, one of the biggest stadiums in the world, watching one of the best teams in the world play! Barcelona won 4-0 on two goals by Alexis, and one a piece by Messi and Sergio. It was amazing seeing one of the best footballers in the world in Messi play, and especially play in Camp Nou! The two Spanish stops in Mallorca and Barcelona were all that was in store for my family’s vacation, and it was an amazing two weeks. The next morning we all went to the airport where they flew home, and I embarked on the rest of my spring break.

Sitting in the Barcelona airport was really the first time abroad that I had been completely alone traveling, and I was curious to see how I’d fair off. My next destination was off to Rome to meet up for a group trip over to Croatia. From Barcelona to Italy it was about a two hour flight and I sat next to two very nice Spanish women who I rode the train with all the way to Termini station. This helped because I was nervous being alone for the first time. Then I checked into The Beehive, which was my first hostel experience alone, and did some much needed laundry. After, I met up with my friend Natalie from my study abroad program for dinner and had my first Italian pizza and wine, spinach and mushroom or also known as garden rocket. We took the metro over to catch the Coliseum by night which made for a very sketchy metro ride, and the train cars were covered in graffiti!

The next morning I met up with Natalie again and Rosie and we went to Vatican City to St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museum, and Sistine Chapel. It was amazing being at one of the most holy places in the world, where the Pope resides. After we grabbed the best gelato in town at Old Harbor and I went back for the night so I could meet up at the train station for my next stop on spring
break, Croatia!

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One Saturday, on Saint Patrick’s Day, we went to La Sierra de Bèrnia that extends to the Mediterranean coast in the province of Alicante, and also includes ruins of Felipe II. The highest peak in the Sierra de Bèrnia is located in the district of Jalón, and
measures 1,128 meters above sea level. During the hike we started at one side of the range and hiked all the way around, passing through ruins and vineyards with some stunning almonds trees. Once we arrived at the other side of the mountain the hike was more strenuous, had many more rocks and climbs, but finished with a tunnel (El Forat) to the other side. Que guay! This was definitely the highlight of the hiking trip and once you made it to the other side there were killer views overlooking the sea. We stopped here with the group for some time to have a snack and soak it all in.   A little bit longer of walking we arrived back to the vans where all the girls passed  out in the backseat for the half hour ride to Alicante.

The very next day was another adventure of senderismo, but this time with my host family. My host mom, host sister, her boyfriend, and Luna y Lola (two of our little cocker spaniels) went near the pueblo of Elda for some hiking. We made a few stops for snacks, saw many bikers, some ATVers, and set up my Grand Trunk Double hammock during lunch. My host mom absolutely loved the hammock and kept on saying it was very “chulo,” or very cool! I might leave it with her as a gift since she is very into hiking and even did parts of El Camino de Santiago in northern Spain.

Once we all arrived back to our apartment, siestas or naps were needed across the board…and I normally never siesta. After, we all rallied and went out for some tapas to complete the day full of family.

The month of March consisted of a lot of senderismo but I needed to stream live games of March Maddess as well, one of the best times of the year for college sports.  Although my bracket ended up being horrendous…the sweet sixteen was extra sweet when four Ohio teams and two Wisconsin teams were playing. Unfortunately the Badgers and Buckeyes couldn’t pull a championship march madness run together and I lost much sleep watching the games with the time difference. There’s always next year.

The last part of March was the most crazy: Las Fallas. Some friends and I took a bus early in the morning to Valencia and returned to Alicante around 5 in the morning the next day. To say the least the say was very eventful and also very long and tiring. We ate some paella, enjoyed much street art that Valencia offered, and were in awe of all the structures created for this festival. Las Fallas is a traditional celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph. The term Fallas refers to both the celebration and the monuments created during the celebration. During the week leading up to March 19, each group takes its “ninot” out for a grand parade, and then mounts it, each on its own elaborate firecracker-filled cardboard and paper-mâché artistic monument in a neighborhood street. This whole assembly is what is called a “falla.”

In la Plaza de la Virgen there is also the offering of flowers. There is a wooden silhouette of the Virgin Mary that is filled in with bouquets of carnations. It is a whole ceremony where people dress up in their best and most colorful traditional costumes and pass by the Virgin bringing the flowers, which are then arranged by the crew on site.

The five days and nights of Fallas are a continuous party. There are a multitude of processions: historical processions, religious processions, and comedic processions.  The Mascletà, an explosive barrage of firecracker and fireworks displays, takes place
in each neighbourhood at 2:00 pm every day of the festival, and we saw the main  event at la Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Picture your ordinary 4th of July show, but only with the fireworks that make the loudest of noise and display no colors. This went
on for a good half hour! Smaller neighbourhoods often hold their own mascletà for saint’s days, weddings and other celebrations.

Around midnight is when La Cremà happens and the Fallas are burnt as huge bonfires. This is known as the burning and the climax of the whole event, and the reason why the constructions are called fallas or “torches”. Traditionally, the falla
in the la Plaza del Ayuntamiento is burned last. There are also many little fallas that are constructed and earlier in the night burnt. This festival was so awesome because I never could image an event like it! So much fire, people, vendors, fireworks, for
completely the whole day. In Alicante in late June there is a very similar event called Las Hogueras, which is basically the same thing with more partying in the streets since it is much warmer weather.

March was a little more relaxing and went out with a bang for Fallas, but will go out even bigger once my family comes to visit me in Alicante! Only 2 weeks until spring break begins and I truly start travelling the world.

-Zak S.

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Living in a society that thrives off of global interaction, it has become almost necessary to have a deep understanding of cultural diversity in order to be an insightful, erudite professional and companionable individual. Global humility and cultural competence are skills you learn from immersing yourself through living in the country and taking advantage of what your surroundings
have to offer. One must experience it themselves in order to truly understand the impact of history, tradition, art, and lifestyle on the local people, and the global community as a whole. What makes such experiences so special and unique is that they cannot be replicated through textbooks, media, or even from person to person.

My 4 months spent in Lausanne taught me much more than a new language, how to rely on public transportation, or how to make cheese fondue. Studying abroad gave me the opportunity to gain an appreciation for my surroundings from places to people. So, here are 10 things Lausanne taught me:

1) Adventure is beautiful. Don’t let fear scare you away from this. Sometimes it is best to throw yourself out there to see where you land. Hop off the plane, and throw out the itinerary; that is when you will find true adventure.

2) More than anything, being abroad is not about the number of places you go, but the people you meet. Interactions are so important in making your experience. You learn so much from people who are similar and different from you, who speak another language, who have grown up in an entirely different society. Whether it is at a local grocery store, a club, or on a train…don’t be afraid to start a conversation with a stranger, even if you barely speak the language. Turns out, gestures are universal, and conversations push your language skills, no matter how bad you think you are at speaking the language.

3) Keep a journal and make it a habit. Through your travels, you’ll experience so many different emotions, learn new history, and sometimes find yourself in places you never thought you would be. Write it down. Whether it is a few sentences or six pages, it is the best way to keep your memories alive and remember your experiences. Once you are home, they slowly start
to fade, but when you open that journal, it’s like you are transported back in time.

4) The peers and staff members you study with abroad will become your best friends, and your family. Although only for a short time, the friends I made abroad in my program were truly some of the most caring, and influential people I have ever met. Living in the same house with seventy other students heightened this experience, and I feel incredibly blessed to have
met the students that I did. Each one impacted me in a way that helped me grow and make the most of my time abroad.
5) You will have some experiences that you can’t explain in words; it is something you have gone through yourself, and only you will understand its impact.

6) The best way to share your experiences to tell stories. Go through all the photographs you took with your friends and family, and tell them the story behind the photograph. A picture is worth a thousand words anyway, right?

7) Keep a budget. Studying abroad in general can be pricey, and it especially was in Switzerland. I was fortunate to have a supportive family, and a partial scholarship from Grand Trunk. However, it is extremely important to budget yourself and make the most of it. Remember, those cheesy “priceless” Visa commercials? It is so true. The experiences you
have are absolutely priceless.

8) Time goes by fast. Before you know it, it will be time to pack up and go home. So make the most of your time abroad, cherish the friendships you make, and leave with no regrets. Be thankful for everything you have, and don’t take a single moment for granted. You wont realize what you had until you have to go home.

9) Don’t judge a book by its’ cover, you’ll end up missing some pretty good stories. Be open to take in what the world has to offer.

10) “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old familiar pillow” So true. Glad to be home.

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We flew into airport on Friday, and spent the weekend walking around the entire city. Rome is so different from Lausanne. The streets are bustling with crowds of people, cars honking in every direction, and the smell of freshly baked pizza seeping through the restaurant window panes. With frequent stops for gelato, we followed our maps to some of the major tourist sites including the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, Vatican City, Roman Forum, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, and the Fountain of Four Rivers.

Although quite a touristic site, Rome was a great first trip to adapt myself to the culture of traveling. It definitely set the tone for the rest of my trips in the semester. Most of all, I found it incredible to finally see the places I have studied in my humanities and art courses in real life. Having the background knowledge of the historic sites I was now visiting really helped me link the importance of each monument, and imagine myself physically present in the history of Rome. Understanding the impact of the history of a place turns even the most touristic sites into a unique, and special experience.

-Priyanka S.

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It’s really hard to think that a full month in Spain has already passed. It has taken
me longer than usual to get settled, but with all the highs there must come some
lows. I have been keeping busy which is a good thing, and also started some new
classes that are held in the city of Alicante. Every Tuesday and Thursday I try to
let the Shakira come out in me, and enjoy learning salsa and some other dances
soon to come. Every Wednesday I walk to CDT Alicante, which is a culinary school
in the area, and make some mouthwatering meals and delectable desserts. My
favorite thus far to cook was the fideuá, which has shrimp, crawfish, cuttlefish,
clams, mussels, in a macaroni pasta with vegetables. Fideuá is similar to paella,
a typical Spanish dish, but more popular in Alicante. That being said, the most
tasteful meal in my mind was pollo a la naranja (chicken in orange sauce), and for
dessert homemade churros! I now am taking all of my registered courses, barring a
sailing class that starts once the weather is a little nicer. Can’t wait! Another weekly
Wednesday activity that I get a kick out of are USAC soccer matches, including our
program directors and their friends. The games bring me back to the glory days of
6th grade travel team soccer, but needless to say, a purchase of cleats may be made
in the near future since my Asics running shoes leave me ingesting turf sometimes.

Having only two classes in the morning, and no class on Fridays, has allowed for
much down time and much needed exploration. I really am entertained just by
walking around with my camera, and places like the port, Castillo de Santa Barbara,
poetry wall, and parks are places I frequent. One of the newer places I stumbled
upon (from a request) was a poetry area. Nestled up one alleyway there are
freehand verses that lead to a main wall full of haikus and rhymes. I found one of my
friends there, and was one of my favorites: sea tu mismo, sea feliz, sea Alicante. Be
yourself, be happy, be Alicante. It is a pretty unique place and maybe I will make my
mark on Alicante before June comes around!

February so far has also included a little travel. First, some friends and I took a day
trip to Valencia to tour the city and Oceanogràfic. Valencia is the third largest city in
Spain and also the capital of the Valencian Community. One place we walked to was
the Llotja de la Seda or “Silk Exchange,” also known as the Hall of Columns, which is
a Gothic style civil building and one of the main attractions in Valencia. This building
also features a Courtyard of the Orange Trees. Another place we went to was the
Cathedral of Valencia that has massive doors and wonderful architecture. After
reading online, the Cathedral is supposedly home to what many believe to be the
Holy Grail, the cup used by Christ during the last supper.

The last stop in Valencia was la Cuidad de las Artes y las Ciencias. There are many
buildings with art and science exhibits, music halls, which were all designed by
architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela. The design of the whole area is
extraordinary. The part we walked around was the Oceanogràfic which is the largest
aquarium in Europe. Each building is identified with aquatic environments like the

Mediterranean, Temperate and Tropical Seas, the Antarctic, and the Dolphinarium
where we saw a spectacular dolphin show!

The weekend after Valencia, we had a USAC trip to Granada for three days. Also a
capital city, Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and home
to the ever famous Alhambra. Our first night was a walking tour through the city
and to Albaicín, a community that has many winding streets and sits on a hill facing
the Alhambra. The very top of Albaicín is the Church of San Nicolas where there are
great views of the Alhambra. The next day was dedicated to touring this Moorish
palace. Granada has a lot of Arabic influence, and La Alhambra’s palaces were built
for the last Muslim Emirs in Spain and its court, of the Nasrid dynasty. Some points
of interest within the Alhambra are The Court of the Lions, fountains at the Palacio
de Generalife, and the Palacio de Pórtico.

The place is simply jaw-dropping, exhibiting the country’s most significant and well
known Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building
and garden interventions. Moorish poets described it as “a pearl set in emeralds,”
in allusion to the color of its buildings and the woods around them. This would
definitely be a place I would like to see in full bloom.

We also did a lot of exploring in Granada and had dinner both nights at tapas bars.
By far the best tapas in Spain thus far! It really was a fun way to get a feel for the
city, try some new food, and enjoy our limited stay. I also went to my first tetería,
and tried some cinnamon tea that was the house special. That night we went to a
discoteca called El Camborio for some dancing and fun. The place was high up a hill
as well, and apparently has one of the top five views of any club in Spain and the
world! The view of course was of the Alhambra, and it was awesome to hang out on
the terraces and dance floor seeing it all lit up. So far all my Spain trips have been
wonderful, and next stop…Morocco! See you soon. Hasta pronto.

-Zak S.

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The time has come! I have finally settled into the new place I will call home for the semester. After another long night in Madrid and one more endless bus ride, our USAC group pulled up to la Plaza de Luceros only to meet our landlords and new host families. I told myself I would study my Spanish notes from previous classes all winter break leading up to going abroad, but listening to Michel Teló, Belanova, Fonseca, and some other Spanish artists provided my only practice before heavily conversing with my new family. Eeek! However, at my first take, I surprised myself at how well I communicated.

When everyone’s luggage was pulled off the bus, I was the last student to be introduced to my host mom and sister, Pilar and Sandra. Pilar works for a little shop in downtown Alicante, and Sandra works as a dentist’s assistant in Alicante as well. We exchanged “besos,” a typical custom in Spain when meeting or greeting someone, and they helped haul my luggage to their apartment. The first thing I did upon arrival was get a quick tour of their place, then unpack my huge suitcase I had been living out of in Madrid. After arriving and being shown where I could put all my belongings and toiletries, I called it an early night to get ready for orientation the next day.

Still not used to the time difference, I woke up at the crack of dawn and Pilar walked me to the plaza and showed me where I could catch the bus to the University of Alicante. Our program directors gave us a quick walking tour of the university, which used to be home to an airbase. We read through packets and packets of information and took our Spanish placement tests, which I had been very nervous about! There were many similar faces of whom I met in Madrid, but also many new people I was hoping to get to know better.

Part of my full, initial day included a group trip to el Castillo de Santa Barbara, one of the largest medieval fortresses in all of Europe. The castle covers the complete summit of the Benacantil Mountain and was originally built by the Moors in the 10th century, influenced much by the nearby continent of Africa. The castle received its name from the conquest of King Alfonse the Wise that took place on 4th December 1248: Saint Barbara’s day. The castle seems to be the highlight and main point of interest in Alicante, with great 360 degree views!

After a few days of exploration, some fellow American students and I were anxious to discover the nightlife of Alicante. We made it to a couple discotecas and unique restaurants, but one thing we realized we were going to need to get used to is the hour people go out until. In Spain, it is very common for places to not even open until 3:00 AM, right when things start to close in the states! However, I was happy to see a good friend of mine from high school who had been studying in Spain, and a few other mutual friends my first night out in the town.

Another big part of the culture in Spain is fútbol, or soccer. In Alicante there is a Hércules CF, a team that is in the Segunda Division but hope to return to La Liga after this season, where well known teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona play. I was fortunate to experience my first professional soccer match between Hércules and SD Huesca, where Samuel and Tote netted a goal a piece to give the home team a victory. Besides the ever-so popular fútbol another highlight is the Explanada, a hallmark and symbol of tourism in the city of Alicante. The mosaic tiles stretch for many blocks aside the Mediterranean port, and are home to many street vendors and crowds! Overall, my Spanish life is definitely one in the making, but once I am fully accustomed and become used to the native language, I am confident I will want my stay to be longer than a semester. Hasta pronto.

-Zak S.

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The time is finally here. I have arrived safely and soundly in Madrid and cannot wait to see what journeys the country of Spain has in store for me. I flew out of Chicago on an optional group flight where there were several other USAC students from surrounding colleges, which was helpful to make some early friends. Our flight was roughly eight hours to London-Heathrow, where we had a two-hour layover, then another flight into Madrid with much of the other USAC students. Being my first time flying to Europe I was attentive to every detail and abruptly awoke to my first international flight meal, chicken with mushroom sauce. Surprisingly, not that bad. The two full days of travelling seemed endless and as if I didn’t sleep much, but the tours around Madrid were bound to wake me up.

There were several places we visited in the city of Madrid itself which all were very impressive. We visited the Prado Museum, an 18th Century building opened by Ferdinand the Seventh, which features the works of El Greco, Diego Velazquez, and Goya. All became royal painters, which is common around the age of 40, but Velazquez skillfully became one at the age of only 24. On a different day we went to the Reina Sofia Museum to view Picasso’s Guernica, a piece made after bombings during the Spanish Civil War featuring much symbolism.

We also walked through the Plaza Mayor and to the Royal Palace of Madrid, which was originally built as a fortress. Charles the Third was its first inhabitant after a huge fire, and is home to a lot of original collections. We went through a Throne Room where every single thing was an original except the red velvet that was replaced on the walls and the thrones, which are in Segovia. Every room was jaw-dropping. Spain has the most important and wealthy tapestry collection in the whole world, but since they are so big and there are so many, there isn’t enough space to put them all at the Royal Palace. Other than the wonderful sights we saw in Madrid I was able to meet up with my close friend Andrea from high school who has been studying in Madrid for a few months. She was able to show me around and we enjoyed wonderful Spanish nightlife! On my last day a bunch of USAC students all went to discoteca Joy as well till the wee hours of the morning. It was tons of fun, and reminded me of home with big cow figures everywhere!

Another place we visited was the city of Segovia, a place known for being home to the famous Roman aqueduct. The water transport system was all handmade and all the stone blocks were strategically placed that if one were to be removed it would still be standing! That being said, one key stone was placed in the middle of several arcs, and if removed the whole structure would collapse. It’s crazy to think that it is still standing and could be functional today. Besides the aqueduct, we also went to the wonderful Alcazar of Segovia, a famous fortress near the Guadarrama Mountains. Walking through the city was incredible and there were many buildings designed with brilliant architecture. My view from lunch was breathtaking as well, overlooking the whole city with mountains in the background.

The last city in Spain we visited during our Madrid tours was Toledo. Before we left we were told to stick with the group otherwise we would get extremely lost in the winding streets of Toledo. On our ride over we stopped atop a hill to take picture of a great panoramic view of the entire city, river, and alcazar. We toured a synagogue turned church that still has services, frescos covering the ceilings, and all the gold you could see. Very beautiful and elaborate. The city is known for its silver and production of swords, but I passed on buying any for I may not be allowed back to the states. Another refresher of home was the street sign of Calle de Toledo de Ohio, since the two places are sister cities of one another. All tours were spectacular!

Overall, Spain is great despite having several differences. Streets here are very narrow, to the point where I think they are comfortable sidewalks, and people drive very crazy. At one point we were all walking in Segovia and a delivery truck literally barely fit between two buildings and the street, and I had to jump in a door opening to let it go by. They also eat dinner at about nine thirty every night, and I need to become a napper for siestas! Hasta pronto. See you soon.

Zak S.

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Over the past week, I have been exploring and adjusting to my new home in Lausanne.  Photographs alone don’t do much justice for this sweet, picturesque town sitting on the banks of Lake Geneva across the French Alps. Breathtaking is an understatement; you must see it for yourself! Places like this make me realize how much we take our surroundings for granted. When you see someplace new, you tend to notice the little details: the hustling of people at the train station, how the bath water makes your hair feel softer, the rugged feel of hand-paved roads through your sneakers, and the smell of crisp, cold air on your morning run.

Through the busy days of orientation, and first week of classes, I’ve caught some of these details and moments on camera. So here is a little introduction of what I have to share with you. As I continue to plan my travels for this semester, I would like to thank those who voted for my video for your gracious support, my parents for their never-ending encouragement towards all my endeavors, and Grand Trunk for providing a scholarship to support my travels around Europe this semester. Stay tuned for posts about my upcoming trips around the continent!

Highlights of the past week:

On our first day arriving in Lausanne, our program sent our group on a scavenger hunt around the city of Lausanne. It was kind of funny because most of us have never actually used a printed map to find our way around. I guess we’ve become so accustomed to having GPS systems in our cars, phones, or even conveniently searching directions on Google maps. We spent the evening getting to know the streets of Lausanne, and finally had the chance to use our French outside the classroom.

Unfortunately, je ne parle pas français bien! Let’s just say, I definitely overestimated the amount of people who speak English here. Switzerland is a multilingual country, with four national languages including Swiss German, French, Italian, and Romansh. Having to actually use another language for any sort of communication in Lausanne has forced me to push lingual boundaries, and is helping me gain confidence in my ability to speak French. Although most kindergarteners here speak better French than I do, I am hoping that by the end of this semester, I can at least return with un accent français correct! But seriously, it is the coolest feeling when you can actually have a full conversation with the barista at the local coffee shop, tout en français!

Our group had the opportunity to visit Cathédrale Notre-Dame of Lausanne, a 12th century gothic cathedral, with a private tour from our very own professor. The cathedral houses an enormous organ, weighing about 40 tons! I am quite tempted to attend one of the concerts held at the cathedral later this month.

On the last day of orientation, we took a day trip to Bern, the capital of Switzerland. We toured the Einstein museum, the Parliament building, played chess in the streets, and casually strolled around the city.

Best part of traveling = food! Okay, so I admit I am a total foodie and addicted to cooking foods from around the world. My first Swiss meal here was Raclette, home cooked by my professor and his wife! A typical peasant meal, Raclette is a delicious type of Swiss cheese, which is melted and then poured on top of veggies! Next up, cheese fondue!

My friend and I took a morning run down to Lake Geneva a few days ago. Swans treaded along the calm, clear water and the clear skies made the Alps look even more enormous! You can see France right across the lake, so we may hop on a ferry to check out what is on the other side sometime soon. Seriously though, the sunsets on the lake make me want to sit out on my balcony with watercolors and a fresh, white canvas.

Priyanka S.

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