No Place Like Home

By:

Lisa Ly

Published:

Countries

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iHola a todos!

It has officially been two months since I left the States and Madrid has now become my second home. Looking back on the past two months, I truly appreciate every moment (the ups and downs) of living here. In addition, this past weekend made me realize how much I love living in the city.

London called and I gladly answered! This weekend my friends and I went to the United Kingdom and it is safe to say that London does not disappoint! Since we only spent a full day in the city, we wanted to see as much as possible. From Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross to Buckingham Palace and the London Eye, I was able to cross these famous landmarks off my bucket list. However, I soon realized that I was constantly comparing London to Madrid. From the culture to their way of life, I couldn’t help but apply it to my lifestyle in Madrid. It was an unconscious choice that I have never done before coming to London. With Portugal and Paris, I saw them as an “escape” to the homesickness I felt in Madrid. Everywhere I went in London, Madrid was constantly in the back of my mind and I found myself missing home.

In my opinion, I believe I have reached a phase of acceptance. As I continue to learn, I can feel myself getting better at communicating in Spanish and becoming confident of my surrounding. My Spanish has improved immensely since coming here. I remembered when I first arrived, I was so scared to speak to people, but now I am casually conversing in small talks and understanding the locals without having to use a translator. As I enter this next phase in my study abroad experience, I hope I will be able to grow as a person and improve my Spanish even more.

Here are the places I have visited this week:

  • Despite our short trip, London was more than a dream. It has always been a goal of mine to visit the city because it was home to so many of my favorite moments in history. From the iconic Harry Potter series to the Tudors, London has always been on top of my must-see countries and I’m ecstatic that I was able to realize another one of my childhood dreams.
St Paul’s Cathedral, an Anglican cathedral in London.
My friends and I in the London Eye.
Westminster Abbey is a Gothic abbey church in London.
“Excuse me sir, can you tell me where I might find Platform 9 and 3/4?” -Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Tavistock Street near King’s Cross Station.
In front of the Buckingham Palace.
Tower Bridge, an iconic symbol of London.
  • On Friday, my class took a field trip to El Museo del Romanticismo. As part of our assignment, we had to observe the characteristics of the furniture and paintings from the Romantic Era.

Hasta Luego,

Lisa

Song of the week: “Nights Like This” – Kehlani feat. Ty Dolla $ign  

Lisa Ly

*FEA Access Partner Scholarship (USAC: University Studied Abroad Consortium) <i>Hello in your host country language</i>: Hola <i> University</i>: University of Nevada, Las Vegas <i>Expected graduation year</i>: 2021 <i>Destination</i>: Madrid, Spain <i>Program Provider</i>: USAC: University Studied Abroad Consortium <i>Major / Minor</i>: Criminal Justice <i>Demographic background</i>: First-generation, Vietnamese-Chinese-American <i>Future career aspirations</i>: Attorney <i>Top 3 goals for study abroad</i>: To gain proficiency in Spanish; To immerse myself in a new environment; To learn about the different cultures within Spain.