HOW DID YOU ENGAGE WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ABROAD?
Engaging with the local community was the best way I avoided feeling like an outsider in a new country. I lived with a host family who made me feel like I had a local community to come home to every day. I spent as much free time as I could to explore Madrid. I also signed up for a gym membership the first week I arrived and created a gym community with the staff at the front desk.

WHAT'S ONE STORY OR IMPORTANT ASPECT YOU ALWAYS SHARE ABOUT YOUR TIME ABROAD?
I always recommend saying yes to every opportunity while studying abroad. Putting yourself out there to study abroad is already a big milestone; with that being said, you should make the most of every second. Saying yes to as much as I could led me to experiences like spending 36 hours in Valenica without hotel accommodations, playing pickleball with a professor, and building lifelong friendships.