Flashback #1: Spain

On March 3, 2012, I will be embarking on a three-week journey through the vast and beautiful region of Spain. Prior to this once-in-a-lifetime experience that my school offers, my experience overseas does not lack in value. My father and I, due to many free hotel points and airline miles, were last in Spain in the month of June 2009. We focused primarily in Barcelona. We experienced the food, the wine, local favorite spots, and thereby immersed ourselves into the culture.

Walking down the road in Barcelona in June, there are bountiful green trees, thrilling architecture, and aromas of the breezy sea combining with street food. The streets are buzzing with fashionable people full of culture and all I want to do is meet them and learn. There is an obvious difference between American society and European society and there are positives and negatives to both. But what are they? And how do find out? We GO. We follow our hearts and travel. We ask questions and taste food. We drink their wine and we listen to their music.  We become part of the culture.

One of my favorite days, my father and I made our way over to the Mercat de la Boqueria. There we were able to truly understand the food of Barcelona. Everything was fresh, highly aromatic, and colorful. As soon as you enter the market, people are running all around you and yelling to their friends, or bargaining prices with the merchant. We left full, happy, and educated. That is a good day to me.

I added some extra picture of the market because it truly was an overwhelmingly exciting experience and its something everyone should experience in their life at least through pictures. 

I can't WAIT to go back.