I'd like to think that my experience abroad in Valencia was quite different than most. I invested my time in meeting and getting to know new people in Valencia, and after exploring the city solo one day, I found not only some of my best friends, but also a relationship. El Cafetin quickly became my second home, where I helped put away the tables at closing, taking advantage of every minute their to meet new people. I explored Spain with my friends from their countryside pueblo to Madrid and Alicante. I had dinners with them in their houses and they threw me a birthday party. I never imagined being so lucky to find a group of people. My time in Valencia was one of the happiest, most meaningful moments of my life and I would have missed out had I not gone. Please use some of the advice that I have gathered a long the way, to make ever day of your time in the city meaningful, and above all else, enjoy the beauty and rich history of Spain.

Participating in an education abroad program always seemed to be more of a distant dream rather than a reality for me. But, when I found out I got into the Valencia program and discovered I had a way to afford it, too, I was stoked. I had never been out of the country before, so leaving the country for four months was initially a daunting task. After being there, however, I can say that it is definitely not as intimidating as it seemed. During the semester, I was able to travel all over Spain and the rest of Europe. I also partook in the intercambio program and was paired with a Valencia native, Beatriz, who showed me around the city and give me advice with where to go and what to do while I was there. We ended up having more in common than either one of us could have imagined and now I still consider her to be one of my best friends. Going abroad helped me make personal connections across the globe, become more independent in all aspects of my life, and broaden my perspectives about the world. I cherish every memory I have from Valencia and can't wait to return.