Exploring Barcelona in 3 Weeks ...

I constantly thought about it but always pushed the dream into the back of my mind until the summer of 2015.
My 3 weeks in Barcelona, Spain turned out to be a life-changing experience beyond my wildest expectations. New friends, new stories, new language...all of these taught me lifelong lessons that I will carry with me forever.

Beginning the first day of your program, you will take a placement exam that will help the school determine the best classroom to place you in. This is just one of the things that EF does to help their students: accommodation. The school accommodates to your needs and makes sure you are learning the language at your individual level. I met people that had never learned Spanish a day in their life, and others who had been learning for 8+ years; the diversity of students is huge. Erase every bad memory you have of a high school language teacher who shoves grammar into your head 24/7. The teachers at the school understand the difficulty of learning a language and put all their efforts into making a conversational, upbeat class environment; it's absolutely incredible.

Essentially, this is how friendships are formed. After attending the scheduled clases for the portion of the day, the rest is up to you. There are many activities planned by the school that encourage students to connect; some you may be interested, others not so much. Regardless, you will never be bored and I vow to that. It's amazing stepping off the plane into a country not knowing anyone or anything, and the next day forming friendships and traveling around the city like you truly belong there.

Host families are unique to everyone. I had roommates come and go for 3 weeks straight; one day it was just me and another student, and the next day there were 5 students living under the same roof. This is where your language is really put to the test because everyone had a different level of their speaking abilities & understanding Spanish.

Time abroad definitely puts your independence and capabilities to the test. These days spent away from home are very valuable and every activity offered to you should be taken advantage of because you never know when you will have that opportunity again. I learned to appreciate times like "getting lost in an unknown city without any cell service" because it essentially proves that even the experiences that seem bad in the moment, turn out to be the best stories you'll look back on later.

Whenever people ask what about it is so great, I always tell them the same six words "You won't know until you go."
Put aside all of your doubts, anxieties, and hesitations because facing my fears and spending my limited weeks in Barcelona introduced me to unforgettable experiences. Learning a language is so unique when you essentially "Live the Language."