To Date: The Best of Spain

As we begin to enter our forth week of the program, We have all had our fair share of rewarding experiences. From day 1 to present, Spain has exceeded all my expectations. Honestly, I have a plethora of things that qualify to be classified in the "Best of Spain" category. Some of these things include meeting and getting to know my host family, exploring Salamanca and other provinces, becoming close friends with my peers in the program, and enjoying the night life. To date, Spain has been very good to me and I am loving every single moment of it!

To start things off, I absolutely must claim the food in Spain as the best aspect thus far. On the first night when the entire group visited "Don Cuchinillo," I fell in love with Spanish food! This has led me to go to several restaurants, simply with the goal of trying various types of dishes. Along with this, the excursion to the Cheese factory has inspired me to try cheese at each restaurant that I go to. I feel as if I am a seasoned cheese taster now since we have become accustomed to what good cheese truly is! Given this, I would definitely say that the excursions we took definitely contributed to my redefined eating habits!

Next, the cultural difference that I am receiving in class from native teachers is also a great part of "The Best of Spain." The fact that my native teachers are teaching us from a standpoint in which they are very familiar with provides for an excellent and interpersonal experience. I enjoy going to class everyday because the material that we learn is applicable to the Spanish culture as well as to the advancement of my Spanish speaking skills. So, I must include my classes as an integral part of this category because they have truly been the greatest!

Lastly, the night life here in Salamanca surely qualifies for "The Best of Spain" category. On the weekends and occasionally during the week, we all go visit the discotecas for a very good time. This has allowed all of us to become very close, almost as if we were one big family. Also, I have met several students from other programs across the country, who I will definitely keep in touch with after the program ends. It's just a great time interacting with people who like to have fun and who all have the same common goal of maximizing their time here in Salamanca. Therefore, the night life certainly has been a blast and is suitable for the "The Best of Spain" category.

So, I have already had some pretty cool "Best of Spain" moments over the past three weeks. At this rate, I know there is only much more to come, considering that I will be traveling to Andalucia and Segovia over the next couple of weeks! Until then, I will approach each day with a open attitude and mindset, ready for new adventures!

P.S. Love you Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Ashley, and Micah!

Saludos,

Eric

Cheese Factory Tour

The Irish Rover

QUESO!!!

Friends