My Travelers + Their Advice!

Hi everyone! For those who I may be new to, I’m Lilly and I am lucky to introduce myself as one of the travelers accompanying Mary Price on her journey abroad. MP has graciously invited me to divulge my most notable stories on her blog to which I will be answering a list of questions.

1. What has been your favorite moment while abroad?

This is a difficult question, it’s like asking what your favorite movie is. However, if I was forced to narrow it down, I would consolidate it into three moments: floating in the ocean in Nice, cooking dinner in Granada, and the train ride to Logroño.

Arriving in Nice itself was a euphoric moment for me. As someone who does not spend long without going to the ocean, seeing it for the first time in a while was somewhat an emotional experience. Getting to go into the water was something else. Although the ocean was cold and the rocky shore was worse than walking on coal, it was all worth the swim. Picture nice cold ice bath, but actually enjoyable. It was refreshing and just what I needed after a busy spring break. Being able to lay there weightlessly was so relaxing.

Next, cooking in Granada. This would not be possible without the amazing AirBnB we stayed in, which made the trip all the better. Cooking is another simple aspect of life that I miss dearly while being abroad. However, we got a small glimpse of heaven when we got to grocery shop and cook and eat together in Granada. We made spaghetti pomodoro, accompanied by bruschetta, salad, and a caprese salad. Exactly what we needed. It was delicious.

Lastly, the sweet train ride to Logroño. Before departing, we made sure to do a grocery run at El Corte Ingles. We got olives, manchego, crackers, and wine. After taking off, we rearranged our seats and found our way to each other. Me and Mary Price ended up sitting next to each other and feasted. It was so relaxing being able to sit there, read, journal, watch the sunset, and simply hang out. All was good until we realized the cheese had eggs in it, but we survived just fine.

2. What is a must-do-trip?

Again, another impossible question. My answer: Lisbon! One of my favorite cities of all time and somewhere I am dying to go back to. Although we did not follow the touristy, sight-seeing schedule, I thoroughly enjoyed my time (obviously). The vibe of the city was just simply amazing; it has the most beautiful art and architecture. I loved the tiles on all the buildings. The people there were also a large part of why I felt so comfortable and at home here. Almost everyone spoke English and was so kind. Not to mention, the food was amazing and the weather was great. To me, Portugal is a vibrant, underrated country that must be explored.

3. Do you have any advice on going abroad?

Some advice… if you’ve done the basic places, skip them and go somewhere less coveted by the regular tourist. This way you get to see more of the world and get to go places you might never go back to. Another piece of advice is to try to learn the language of your host country. Even if you are not the best at it, try and practice when you can. I have learned that locals would rather you try and fail or not be perfect than not try at all. Explore your home country more than you think you should! As I will explain later, this is something I wish I had done more of. Lastly, journal and get a memento from every place you’ve been to. Me and Laine have been collecting postcards and I am so glad I have stuck to this. You will never regret having a journal of all your travels that include the good, the bad, and funny moments.

4. What you would do differently?

Although I have no regrets about how I have done my study abroad experience, if I were given the option to do it over again, I travel around Spain more. I have found that Spain is very underrated. There are so many cities that are not crawling with tourists that are filled with culture and beauty and are different than any other cities in Europe. Something I love about Spain is that every region is unique not only to itself, but to Europe in general. Specifically, doing a road trip through this country would have been incredible. Although I did not get around to this during my time here, it just means I will have to come back!

5. What is your favorite mode of transportation?

Easy—train. Never underestimate the train and never take a train ride for granted!

6. What are you most grateful for during your time abroad?

What I am most grateful for during my time abroad can be generalized into three F’s: friends, food, freedom. One, my amazing friends who I am forever grateful for. Getting to experience something so unfamiliar with these people has not only made us that much closer, but has allowed for forever friendships that I believe will last a lifetime. Two, food. A big part of understanding and immersing myself into a country’s culture is the food, which has all been amazing. Cuisine offers a glimpse into the culture and way of life of a country. For me, it is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn and indulge. Three, freedom— this is a big one. Being so centrally located in Madrid has given us the freedom to travel whenever and wherever we want at an affordable rate. Being so close to so many historically significant and beautiful places is overwhelming and is something I am incredibly grateful for. I could have never imagined anything like it.

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Thank you for reading my answers and advice! If you ever have the opportunity to go abroad, you are crazy if you are even considering not taking it. It is truly the experience of a lifetime and I promise that you will never regret it, ciao!

Love, 

Lilly