Studying abroad has been a very interesting experience for me. I grew up and lived my entire life in my hometown of Lee’s Summit, as I haven’t done much traveling. The biggest trips I’ve taken have been to Colorado and Florida, but I have never been out of the country before. That’s what makes this experience of studying abroad so exciting for me, getting to explore new places.

I am currently staying in Alicante, Spain, and I have explored this city a little so far. The first thing that stood out to me was the architecture and look of the city. The fort high on the hill is a stark reminder that I’m in a country with a much longer history than the United States. I’ve loved being able to just walk around and appreciate the small details that differentiate Alicante from American cities. For example, the street signs being on the sides of buildings is something that is small but at the same time interesting, as I’m not used to it.

Alicante is not the only city I’ve seen while over here and those have also been very amazing to see. The first was Granada. The city itself is very pretty, and the mixture of the old buildings and structures blending with the new is fascinating. Although, my favorite part, by far, was the Alhambra. Seeing such a large structure from almost a century ago was amazing, and the gardens were also stunning. The sense of history that can be felt in places like that is something I found very profound.

However, this was still in Spain, and I was able to visit Marseille, Nice, and Monaco as well. France feels and looks different from Spain, but to me, not by much. I could see the differences in the way buildings were constructed and in the flourishes on the outside, while it still felt European. I’d say the most different city I’ve visited so far would have to be Monaco. I can’t even really call it a city since it’s a country, but Monaco has a sense of verticality that isn’t present in the other places; not to mention the luxury shops present on every street.

It made me feel in my bones how different these places were compared to my home in the Midwest. I haven’t finished traveling to other countries, as I plan to do so more while I’m here, but for now, it has already been an astounding experience. Walking through such different places has given me a desire to learn more about all these countries. While it’s quite trite to say, the staggering realization that people in such live their lives in similar ways to mine has already made this experience worth it. Hopefully, I can keep this learning going and continue exploring these diverse locations, as this world offers too much to see, and I can’t resist the tantalizing allure.

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: ALI Abroad: University of Alicante