As we approach the end of January, my first month living in Spain, I would like to share some of my favorite things about my time so far. First and foremost, Alicante is the perfect city to live in. You are constantly surrounded by views of the mountains, the Castillo and the Mediterranean Sea. I spend my days taking walks on the beach, hiking, trying new coffee shops and exploring the city.

I also live with a host mom here, which greatly maximizes this experience. As a Spanish major, I was most excited about improving my language skills and being fully immersed in the Spanish culture.

My host mom is constantly helping me learn new things, and I have really enjoyed getting to chat in Spanish with her over meals and daily activities. We ended January with a group trip to Granada, which was such a fun weekend.

We went to a flamenco show, visited the Alhambra and wandered through the narrow, colorful streets. I am thankful for such an amazing start to this study abroad experience!

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