Hello from Alicante, Spain! I have been here for a month now, though the time has flown by. Between exploring the city and venturing beyond it, there’s never a dull moment.

I live in an apartment with my host dad and classmate (shoutout to Carlos and Rosie!), and it has been so much fun. We have weekly game nights and Taco Tuesdays, and this weekend, Carlos took us to his parents’ house to try his mom’s paella and turrón, a dessert native to Alicante. His siblings and their families were so kind, and I got to practice speaking Spanish in a larger setting than I have so far. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of her paella, but we did take a family photo, which you can see in this post.

As far as activities around the city, the beach is a no-brainer. There’s a beautiful one 20 minutes north of my apartment by tram, and it’s the perfect way to relax after a day of classes or get some exercise. I also play beach volleyball weekly and joined a dance studio to learn bachata. Both have been great ways to meet people outside of my study abroad program, although I’ve really enjoyed getting to know everyone in the program, especially since most of the students don’t attend Mizzou.

The city is walkable, but you can get around via bus or tram. People under 30 are eligible for a free tram card with unlimited swipes through the end of December, which has been so nice. One of the advantages of studying in Europe, of course, is how easy it is to travel.

So far, I have been to Guadix, Granada, Valencia, Marseilles and Nice. The first three trips were through a class offered by my study abroad program. Our directors take us to important sites within the cities (such as cathedrals, markets, etc.) and teach us about the artwork, architecture, and history. My favorite of those three was Granada. The Alhambra was absolutely stunning. If you ever get the chance to visit, please do. Marseilles and Nice were part of a weekend trip with other students in my program. Both cities were both beautiful, but I especially loved Nice. The water was a gorgeous shade of turquoise, and the city itself was so neat to explore.

My recommendation is to plan out places you really want to see, but make sure to leave time in your schedule to wander the city. Some of the coolest corners of the cities we’ve explored we stumbled across by accident. Happy traveling and hasta luego!

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