An unforgettable and life-changing experience!

Studying abroad will not only be unforgettable, but it has shaped a change in my life that I will never not be grateful for. Within my experience, I was completely immersed in the culture as I had chosen to stay with a host family. Aside from my family, I attended a campus that was historic to the area of Bilbao where my program studied, so everyday I was able to experience the townspeople and even mingle with them on my own terms, creating life-long friendships. This was my first time going anywhere outside of the United States, expanding my view in the world and assuring that the fears I once had before leaving, were only there because of the vast changes that have been made in my life since. These changes were only for the better though. I have had dreams of traveling since I was young, and as a surfer it meant the world to me to get to surf outside of the USA. Since studying in Bilbao I have made that dream come true. I feel like I have conquered what I thought was impossible way before I expected to be able to, which taught me to never stop striving for my goals because you never know how things will work out for you, but you can trust that everything will. I lived in Gexto, a beach town outside of the city Bilbao. Here in the north of Spain, it was challenging because of the Basque language being so popular aside from Spanish that people speak due to the region they’re from and born in. This taught me to be open minded to learning the differences of peoples culture and not just basing them off of which continent they came from. I learned the appreciation to see everyone in a more unique light, and that there can also be similarities found in people no matter where we come from. It also taught me a lot about my home country and how the rest of the world views us. Most importantly I learned a deeper sense of gratitude for where I come from and the place I belong to. I will always cherish that Spain was once a home but now apart of my life forever.