Barcelona!

In the days before we all met our families, there was this ever-present and perfect mix of nervousness and excitement. This overwhelming awareness of the adventures and challenges we were all about to face is one of the most instantly bonding things I've experienced. During the first two days, it might have not even set in what we were about to do. At least for me. My determination to go in to  studying abroad with no expectations left a somewhat major sense of denial, and didn't really allow me to picture anything in my head or have any preconceptions. Maybe this was the same for everyone, because after all the flights when we were in Barcelona, I felt extremely bonded to the people around me maybe because we had all finally realized what we were about to get in to. Barcelona is by far one of the prettiest cities I have ever been to. The architecture and the food (thank god for croquetas) stood out to me the most. 

I want to go back!

Staying in a hostel was my favorite part. While the fact that every meal wasn't croquetas was obviously a huge disappointment to me, staying in a room with three of the other students (and later a student from France) was by far the best way to get to know each other. The last night before we would get on separate trains to go to our new homes, two other students and I just sat in the lobby and talked till 2 am, but also partly because we were just too tired to get up and go upstairs.

- Annelise