First, let me offer apologies in advance for any spelling or gramatial errors, Im typing on the Europe keyboard and it is definitly different! In approximately three days Ill be returning back to the States, back home, and back to my comfort zone It is really a bittersaeet occasion. On one hand I have really enjoyed my stay, but I ,iss the creature conforts that only Amerca can provide, such as a fast food resturant on every corner lol. I was finally able to explore the city and I really got to see the beaty that has wowed many tourists around the wolrd. I also need to get back to the US quickly, as everything here is very beautiful and worthy of my purchasing. The people are still very kind to me, and interestingly enough many of my classmates will soon be journying to the U.S. to take classes. My class concluded today and yah, no final. I have learned a lot and have enjoyed my experience!! The first thing I will do when I get to the United States is locate the nearest Raising Canes, Chipotle, White Castle, or Popeyes. The first thing I will do when I get back to Kentucky is have all of those resturants previously listed, in that order : )

¡Hola!

Today marks the week and half point that I’ve been living and learning in Sevilla, Spain! So far la ciudad has been beyond imagination with beautiful architecture, amazing culture and hospitality unlike anywhere else. So far ISA and myself have visited the cathedral, El Alcázar, Plaza de España and the many beautiful, historic calles that are scattered around the city. As a lover of architecture, the cathedral has by far been my favorite! I could spend all day there for a week straight and still not be able to witness every extraordinary detail this behemoth has to offer. Outside the group I went to my first bull fight! It was an awesome experience but animal lovers beware, they do kill the bulls! It’s been great meeting the other cardinals (Cecily DuPont, Sara Jones, Monica Moehle) to share this amazing experience with as we proudly represent the University of Louisville everywhere we go!

Currently I am taking two classes, International Finance and the Crisis in the Eurozone which are both quite interesting. I would highly recommend taking the Crisis in the Eurozone class if you can! Once I complete my session here in Sevilla, I’m off to Valencia for session two where I will be taking Marketing 301 and Business Communications so more to come on those.

This weekend we are set to take a group excursion to the cities of Córdoba and Granada which I am extremely excited for. So far no city has ceased to amaze me so I can’t wait to see what these two have in store.

At times I was unsure if study abroad would be the right fit for me but I can now confidently say that I would go again and again just based on my week and a half of experiences! Thanks to everyone that has made this trip possible! I’ll keep you posted on the many future adventures to come! L1C4 ¡Adios!

Connor Newton

Hola!

I arrived in Barcelona, Spain 3 days ago, and these past 72 hours have been an absolute incredible time filled with a variety of activities and events that have made this trip such a wonderful experience thus far! Everything about Barcelona has been fantastic ranging from the amazing Mediterranean food, the unique architecture of the city, the different things that are always happening, and of course the culture “shock” has taken some adjusting too but that’s what the whole study abroad experience is about, to immerse yourself in an unfamiliar place with different cultures than yourself and learn from them.

On my first day it was a little hectic because I was suffering from jet lag and had barely any sleep on the plane, and with the 6 hour time change from the eastern coast of the United States and Barcelona, I felt like I skipped a whole nights sleep and was expected to be ready for another day! It’s something I had never experienced before and definitely won’t forget, but the time spent doing different things on the first day really helped me overcome my sleepiness and immerse myself in the Spanish culture. We took a group excursion around the entire city via bus, which lasted roughly 2 hours but was really interesting because of the amount of information they gave us regarding the history of their sports (1992 Olympic games & FC Barcelona) as well as the artistic background (Antonio Gaudi & Pablo Picasso) that helped contribute to the city’s beautiful architecture.

On day number two we went on a tour of the Gothic Quarter which began in the Plaza del Angel which was cool because our guide explained to us about the architecture of the city, when things were built and for what purpose, which really shows the true age of Barcelona. After this we gathered as a group and got all of the information regarding the classes we were taking over the next month and a half. The rest of the day was spent at the beach and exploring the city even more including the Plaça de Catalunya and the Barcelona Cathedral.

Today was the first day of classes and I really think I’m going to enjoy both of the classes that I’m taking which are International Marketing Strategies and E-Commerce and Online Business. Both of my professors seem like they know what they’re talking about and are very happy to be teaching students from America about the ways in which the Spanish education system works as well as helping us learn and grow in their culture during our stay here.

This upcoming week we are going on a trip to Sitges, Spain and hopefully to a few more places within Spain or Portugal because we don’t have class on Monday so we plan on going somewhere during the long weekend. I’m absolutely loving every part about this study abroad experience so far and am extremely excited to see what these next six weeks have in store for me!

Hasta luego,

Matt Schafer

Today marks my last week in Bordeaux, France. This past weekend we took a day trip to St. Emilion, one of the coolest little towns I have ever seen. The slanted landscape and cobblestone roads made for a unique scene for a quant little town in the middle of wine country. St. Emilion is surrounded by vineyards where they produce some of the worlds best wines. With free wine tasting in almost every shop, we got to experience a wide variety of delicious wine. While there, we finally tried escargot, and it was awesome.

After eating and drinking, we decided to work it off, by climbing what seemed like 10 stories to the top of a church that overlooked the entire town.

I would definitely recommend visiting this amazing little town if you are close. If not, my only advice, no matter where you visit in Europe, would to be to utilize the trains, day trips like this are only a short train ride away and only cost about 6 Euros each way!

Lanie Will

Bon Jour again!

This time from a different city in France! This past Saturday we decided to take a day trip to a little wine town called St. Emillion, located only 30 minutes from Bordeaux! It was definitely one of my favorite days in France. The weather was nice and there was FREE wine tasting! Everywhere store we went into they offered and we asked how much it cost and it was all free! It was great. A lot of the wines were made in St. Emillion and you couldn’t get anywhere else. The town was so beautiful and we even climbed all the way to the top of a churches tower to get an amazing few of the entire town! This is also where I decided to try escargot and a macaroon! It was a very successful day. Ps if you go to France you must eat a snail they are actually really good! Probably because they drown it in butter and herbs but it is delicious! It was really nice to get away to a small town that was not crowded and absolutely beautiful. The streets were all cobblestone and the buildings had a very old time-y feel. If you ever have the chance to visit I highly suggest St. Emillion.

This was our last weekend in Bordeaux because next weekend we are heading to Paris and then home :(. I am glad we picked that little town to visit before we leave.

Also I apologize for the pictures not working in the last post. Hopefully these make up for it!

Hi everyone!

I can’t believe my time in Bordeaux is almost over. I’m currently sitting in my last class (on break, of course). I’ve had so many great experiences here. The first weekend, we went to Barcelona. We visited the beach at Arcachon (which I highly recommend). We visited the largest sand dune in Europe (la dune du pilat, also in Arcachon, and also highly recommended). We picnicked on the Garonne River. And we will be visiting Paris this weekend. We’ve also done plenty of studying, of course! It’s been an awesome adventure, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity!
Well, break is over! So, au revoir!

Megan Hardy

Hallo from Bregenz, Austria! These past 24 hours have been a complete whirlwind and a rush but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way! From the very second I took a step into the airport on Wednesday morning I haven’t wiped a smile off of my face, well maybe only a couple of times! Maybe why I was smiling was because my luggage came in under 50 pounds, which is a miracle in and of itself. As I said my last goodbye to my mom things started to become even more real, the tears only lasted a short time before we were being herded into security. Once we finally sat down and relaxed for a little bit we were informed our flight to Philadelphia had been delayed from 1:30 now to 3:20 and we had to be ready to board the plane to Zurich by 5:45 pm in Philadelphia. Luckily, our flight out of CVG was a quick one and we were in Philadelphia with plenty of time to spare – I even had enough time to buy my last 3 American made Diet Cokes until I return! As we started boarding the plane to Zurich I started to get a little anxious but then my excitement kicked in because I was about to embark on one of the most amazing trips and experiences of my lifetime. After waiting on the runway for 45 minutes we finally departed for Zurich and I couldn’t wait to get there! After starting to watch the movie, we were served dinner and it was pretty good for airplane food but shortly after eating I passed out because I was exhausted. The next thing I can remember is one of my peers tapping me on the shoulder to say that they were serving breakfast and drinks – I had slept through almost the whole flight! But, FINALLY, I was in Zurich, Switzerland!! As we all collected our items from baggage claim, we were met by our excited directors – who had gotten more sleep last night then we had had in two nights! They were full of energy but it helped make the exhausted feeling go away a little bit. Next, we boarded the bus to head to our destination of Bregenz, Austria. This place is GORGEOUS?! The lake, the old historic buildings, the shops, the people, it all took my breath away. After arrival they rushed us quickly to drop off our things at our new homes – Frau Monika – is who I am staying with and she was impressed that I could pick my own heavy suitcase up! The next stop was to begin the scavenger hunt, which would take us to some of the most important places in the city – the Lake, the train station, the Bank and most importantly the Studienzentrum which is where I will be taking my classes. After the scavenger hunt, we made it to our first actual meal in Austria – pasta – which I don’t think is very German but it was delicious! After dinner, my roommate and I both decided it was for the best to head back home so we could get a good nights rest because we have a busy day tomorrow! Anyways, my host Mom just came in to check on me and when I wanted breakfast to be ready in the morning, life is good here in Bregenz and I can’t wait to see what is all going to happen during the next 32 days! Guten nacht (Goodnight) from Austria, I will check in with you all again soon!

Since the start of my college career at the University of Louisville, I have always wanted to study abroad. It’s been a goal or a dream perhaps. Due to different life events I didn’t think it was possible, at least not for me. Yet, I am writing this very post from Bordeaux, France!

The start of my trip had it’s ups and downs, but this has been the best decision I have made in my college career. Before I left the states, I believed this was going to be a trip of a lifetime. It’s not. I say this because I hope this is just the start of many trips to come. Traveling abroad to a country where I don’t speak any of the language has given me the courage and the knowledge to feel as though I can go anywhere and do anything. My world is not limited to the confines of Louisville, KY or the US for that matter.

Enough about me, I want to share a few traveling tips to anyone going abroad for their first time.

1. If you are going to a country that speaks another language that you have not studied, bring a pocket dictionary. I know it sounds like common sense, but I didn’t because I just forgot.
2. Download the app Viber! Also, have your close friends or relatives download it as well. Viber is the best thing anyone could have told me about before I left the states. Its a free app that allows you to talk to people via texts, phone calls, and video chat (if it is on your desktop). Trying to download it abroad may cost money as you need a verification text.
3. Explore! Explore, but be smart about it. Also, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.The more you step out of your comfort zone, the more things you become comfortable with. This whole trip should be about expanding your comfort zone! (I didn’t pick this up until about day 5 of the rip)
4. Lastly, try it! Whatever it is try it. If you never try it, how will you know you don’t like it?

As I continue on this three week adventure, I’m sure I still have so much to learn. Study abroad is a lesson inside and outside the classroom through everything you experience. I’m grateful to have had this opportunity and I  look forward to traveling abroad in the future!

-Erica L. Lee

Senior, Marketing Major

¡Hola Amigos!

I want to share with you my journey in Sevilla, Spain thus far. This place is absolutely amazing! I wish I could post all my pictures on here, but that could get obnoxious. I just got here 3 days ago and started class 2 days ago. I am taking International Finance and Advanced Spanish Culture and Civilization. My new friends and professors are so nice and down-to-earth. I also decided to join a volunteer program where I will spend time with the elderly at the nursing home next door to my school. I am starting to get a grasp on where everything is. I live downtown in Sevilla, 5 minutes away from the 3rd largest cathedral in the world. Today we went on a tour there and it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The architecture in Sevilla is filled with curves and arches. There is not one boring building. There is so much color here. My suggestions to go to any of you ever wanting to go to Sevilla are Plaza de España, Las Setas, Plato de sabado, Universidad de Sevilla, Parque de Prado, and the cathedral. When I see more of the city, I will let you know what else there is to see. I can’t explain to you how amazing this experience has been so far. I am so thankful for all of you who have helped me along the way. You truly are making my dreams come true. I am glad I can say I studied abroad because of the University of Louisville’s College of Business, my friends, and family. Your support means the world to me! I will keep you updated on my new experiences and excursions throughout these next two months!

Hasta luego!
Cecily Dupont