Two weeks in: outings and friends

Getting to Spain

It’s been two weeks since I arrived in Salamanca and there is so much to say, but first: traveling! The journey to Spain was not as chaotic as I thought it would be. Since I was flying by myself across the country and then overseas, I was a little worried, but the calm airports and meeting IES Abroad people on my connecting flight and in the Madrid airport made it a lot easier. Fun fact: we met other study-abroad students flying to Sevilla for their program! 

Field trips

During orientation week, all the meetings and sessions were informative, but my favorite part was the field trips! From Segovia, the castle had me in awe. When our tour guide told the story of Isabel de Castilla, it made me pay more attention to the rooms and throne. In Zamora, we were taken to eat at a restaurant in a bodega which was super cool. There was also a market going on in one of the plazas so a few students bought paintings for their dorms which were nice (I have not decorated my room at all). 

Making Friends

Here at IES Abroad, the students in the program have been very social which is amazing because everyone can talk to anyone. It’s been very helpful since I tend to be a little shy. Nevertheless, I’ve already had plenty of laughs and fun moments these last few days. Since many of us are free to pass time between classes, we’ve taken walks around the city or gone to the library (shout out to Casa de las Conchas). While it is still cold here in Salamanca, the sun is starting to come out in the afternoon which is awesome. I’ve attached a variety of photos from the last two weeks (featuring some people from the program!), and I’ll say my favorites are from the dorm’s study room. One is a paint night which was an awesome break during the week. Get-togethers like this one make it easier to talk to more people.

As I’m settling down and getting into the rhythm of my weekly schedule, I’ll be planning trips that will be written about here or posted on Instagram so stay tuned!