In the days leading up to my trip to Segovia last summer, I was downright scared. The idea of traveling alone, overseas, to meet up with 30 other students I didn’t know did not make for ease of thought. On top of that, I was very aware that in going to Spain, I would be less like a student who, I felt, was decent at speaking Spanish, and more like a foreigner with a funny accent and a poor vocabulary. In a way, maybe it was good for me to feel that way beforehand, because I’m sure it made the experience of how things actually turned out that much more enjoyable.

There really isn’t a way for me to explain adequately how easily everything came together once I arrived in Spain. In contrasting my apprehensions and how things went, it was like going from having nothing to having everything. The people of Spain were extremely courteous, my host family was awesome, and the other students were unforgettable. I could not have asked for anything more out of this program. I believe it is as significant to my life as my university experience has been. The credit to the success of my experience in near entirety goes to Francisco, as a leader, teacher, guide, and everything else he needed to be. He is what makes this program special. To students who might consider taking this endeavor in the following summers, I cannot recommend it highly enough. I would give anything to have that experience again. And I have promised myself to return to Segovia in the near future.