As an Italian European student studying abroad in the United States, going back for a semester to Europe (in Barcelona) with an American program was not an easy decision. I had to reflect a lot about future opportunities to decide what was the best thing to do. On campus, I was living an almost perfect life; I created my comfort zone, and I was taking the most of my experience in America. However, making the most at my university also means becoming open-minded and getting to know the many international students on campus. 
I started to get acquainted with the Latin American and Spanish cultures, and soon I wanted to learn Spanish. I always appreciate self-improvement, and I knew my university was offering some cool study abroad programs. After figuring out all the classes and credits, Spain and Barcelona came up. The fantastic Spanish culture has always captured my attention, but I never really explored it. I also believed Spain could become one of my favorite European countries.
A few months later, here I am studying abroad in Barcelona, enjoying my experience and getting to know this extraordinary country. I am exploring the city and its culture, and I love it. I am obsessed with the manzanas and Gaudí architecture, I love the sunny weather, and I am also continually improving my Spanish. I met new great friends (I have to thank some of them as they help me with my Spanish). I am happy with the CEA program that organizes exciting activities to immerse ourselves in the Spanish and Catalan culture, such as a trip to Madrid, a tapas workshop, the Barça soccer game, a winery trip and other activities discovering the Catalunya and its capital. 
I am also trying to come out of the comfort zone I created at CEA by joining local events such as the Adidas running group, the Unirun “La cursa de les universitats,” and hanging out in more local areas. Now that I am in the second half of my experience in Barcelona, I would like to explore more cities of Spain, such as Seville and Bilbao, and, as a sports fan, I also planning on attending the tennis tournament Barcelona Open, and maybe joining the fencing club in Barcelona. 
It will be exciting to come back to South Florida with new experiences, and thanks to my improved Spanish fluency, I will be able to get to know more people. Thinking about my perfect place to live in the world, I have always said I want to live in a warm and sunny place, where there is also great culture and history. Spain just might be that place!
Carlo Pezzana is a CEA Spring 2020 student studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain. He is currently a student at Lynn University.