Hola!
For those of you who don't know, I'll be heading to Spain this semester through Notre Dame's study abroad program! I will be staying with a host family as I take classes at a university in Toledo, Spain (about half an hour southwest of Madrid)! I plan to provide weekly updates on this blog for those who'd like to follow my journey! I promise the following weeks will be more exciting with lots of pictures, but figured I should try and document the whole process so here we are...
Today began bright and early as I woke up, packed any remaining essentials, and headed off to the airport by 5:45. We arrived and lugged my two suitcases and two backpacks to the check-in desk, knowing that I had definitely overpacked while also worrying that I couldn't possibly have squeezed four months worth of life into two bags! Miraculously neither one was over the weight limit (after some minimal rearranging) and we continued onwards.
Since we had arrived so early, I had time to grab one last breakfast with my parents before I left, which was a really nice way to begin a hectic day of traveling. We said our goodbyes and I got through security relatively quickly.
My first flight took of for Philadelphia and within four and a half hours I had landed for a three hour layover. I found my gate, then found it again when it immediately changed, and grabbed dinner at the Smashburger next door for my last meal in America.
I have now boarded my last flight of the day bound for Madrid and look forward to hopefully getting some sleep so I'll be semi-rested when I land at 8:30 Madrid time. I definitely have still not fully processed the magnitude of this endeavor, but I'm excited to see what lies ahead (well, excited and scared, but isn't that how all adventures begin??)
Miss you all, already!
Hasta luego,
Bryce
PS: I will have to get a European phone number while abroad so if you'd like to contact me, reach out via social media and/or DM me for my new number!