Being in Barcelona for almost a month now, I’ve settled into my routine, had some amazing new experiences, and learned a few lessons along the way. As much as I tried to prepare myself for challenges I may experience before arriving, some things still came as a surprise. My biggest surprise was that I had to “relearn” how to be independent in my new home. When first arriving at my dorm in Barcelona, I found out that there were only 10 other American students from my program staying there. All the other students in the dorm were from other countries and on other programs. Coincidentally though, one other American arrived at the dorm at the same time as I did. We ended up exchanging phone numbers and spent our first few days before classes doing everything together. We went to the grocery store, navigated the metro, went sightseeing, and tried different coffee shops and restaurants together.

After our few days of freedom were over, and classes started, I realized I built up a bit of a reliance on my friend to do things with. The thought of doing simple, everyday things on my own made me nervous. I felt anxious riding on the metro, going to the market or grabbing lunch by myself. This was a feeling I had never felt before, as I’ve always felt comfortable doing things on my own in the United States. I had always seen myself as an independent person but being in a new place changed that for me. To break through this anxiety, I started trying to do something new by myself each day. I started by going to pick up stamps to send postcards home. Then, I read my book in the university gardens instead of going home in between my classes. I kept building up to more alone time, and eventually, I got the confidence to go to the beach to run. I ended up running eight miles along the beach, and it was one of my favorite things I’ve done in Barcelona so far. The views were beautiful, and I even found a cool hidden area of the beach with bunches of stacked rock towers. After my run, I felt so accomplished and that I had finally gotten over my fears of doing things alone in the city.

Now that I am confident in doing things alone, I have opened myself up to so many new experiences. I’ve discovered some great stores, restaurants, and other fun sites. I even have plans for a solo trip to Alicante, Spain in February. My independence and confidence have grown so much in just a month of being in Barcelona, and I am excited to see how they continue to grow in the months ahead!

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: IES Abroad: Liberal Arts and Business in Barcelona