On June 9, it will be a year since I left for Europe for the summer where I traveled to numerous countries and studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain. It was a bittersweet goodbye last August when I had to leave to go home. While I was ready to go back to Wisconsin and see my family, I would miss the place I called home for 12 weeks of my summer. It was an unforgettable summer and I hope everyone can take the opportunity to visit Europe and explore it’s treasures.

It’s crazy to think it’s been a year since I traveled for over 8 hours, lost my luggage, and created countless memories throughout the summer. At first, it was a tiring experience—finding our way in a new city, adapting to the time zone, and choosing what to do each daily during our pre-trip. However, it was worthwhile when everything seemed to fall into place. When I finally adapted to my studying abroad experience, I became a Salamancan (a person who lives in Salamanca, Spain) where I had a daily routine—my meals, my walking route to school, tapas time, and exploration time. It was a great experience to physically witness the Spanish culture other than in a classroom at UW-La Crosse.

There are many things I miss about last year’s summer. I miss my host mom, Ana, her cooking, her hospitality, and her demeanor. I also miss our late night dinners and dance parties. I miss my host director, Maria, her generosity and her motherly qualities. I miss traveling to country to country for a cheap price. I went to places I had only dreamed of visiting and seeing-Platform 9 ¾, Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles, the London Bridge, and so on. I even got to see a glimpse of the royal family during the Queen’s birthday parade.

After thinking back to my experiences abroad, I can honestly say it was the best summer I have ever had. I made friends from around the world. I ate the most amazing foods. I traveled to 8 countries. While a year has gone by since I stepped foot in Europe, I remember every detail about my experience.