Last week in Madrid!

By:

Darwin Leyva Ayala

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Darwin Leyva Ayala

<i>Home Institution</i>: Brandeis University <i>Expected Graduation Year</i>: 2024 <i>Academic Major / Minor</i>: Business & International and Global Studies <i>Destination</i>: Madrid, Spain <i>"Hello" in your host country's language</i>: Hola <i>Program Provider</i>: IES <i>Demographics</i>: Hispanic/Latinx, First-Generation College Student <i>Future Career Goals</i>: My future career goals include working for an international company working as a quantitive data analyst or consultant to a global scale, in hopes to find a job that lets me live and work abroad to do business all over the world. <i>Top Three Study Abroad Goals</i>: I hope to try and enjoy as much food as I can, enjoy traveling all over the country and beyond, and immerse myself into the culture of lifestyle of those around me.

Helloooooooooo people! Welp, writing that title got me depressed. I officially have completed my study abroad experience, and a ton of my friends have been leaving for the airport this week, super sad.

I went to Morocco this past weekend which was a great way to end my semester-long travels. It was a small group of my friends, and we stayed in a Ryad which was super pretty. I wish we had places like this back home. We went on a desert tour and rode a camel! Disclaimer: they are not as comfy as the movies make it seem. Besides spending a night in a desert camp, we spent a full day in the market walking around and looking for things to buy! I ended up bargaining for a carpet and a couple of gorgeous ceramic mugs, which was totally worth it. Besides a little side quest in Africa, this week has been a week full of goodbyes, laughters, and family style dinners.

It has been a great week, but now it’s all hitting me and making me want to come back already, even though I haven’t left. Last time I went to the market, my favorite clubs, dinner places, seeing my professors, the cleaning ladies in my building who I love, and the friends I have met here from across the world. I really do think that studying abroad has been an amazing thing that I would not change for the world. Tell anyone younger that you know who is debating it to do it! For me, studying abroad was the best decision I’ve made so far, (as a 21 yr old). In meeting new people, traveling to new places, new food, music, culture, and lifestyle, it opens up to your mind the possibilities of what life has to offer, and what options we truly have for ourselves!

Stay tuned for the return vlog people, it’s coming soon. Thank you for joining me in this journey of mine, and hope to those who read this, to have a wonderful rest of your day!