Travel & lifestyle blog helping people optimize their skills and habits to achieve their dreams.
It's a pretty weird concept when you think about it. You take a housing survey, travel to a foreign country, and move into a stranger's home. That's basically it. It's weirdly similar to getting a new roommate, except you don't get much say in the matter other than your responses on the housing survey. You're really… Continue reading Pros and Cons of Living With a Host Family: What It’s REALLY Like
I vividly remember the first time I ordered tapas in Seville... it was a disaster! The second I laid my eyes on the enormous menu, I felt the stress building. The unfamiliar names, weird portion sizes, and incredibly low prices were all throwing me off. My Spanish knowledge got me through the translation part, but I… Continue reading The Best Tapas Dishes To Try in Spain
At 8:45 AM this past Saturday morning – camera and tostada in hand – I hopped on a 2-hour bus ride through rolling hills and rural towns to the one and only Córdoba, Spain. I have been DYING to visit this small yet historically rich city, and found it to be the perfect day trip… Continue reading How to Spend the Day in Córdoba: What To See, Eat & Do!
Before moving to Seville, Spain for the semester, I pictured a small city with a few historic spots, tapas bars and flamenco shows. But I had no idea just how massive in size and rich in culture Seville truly is. Experiencing the unique Sevillano culture in just three days is a challenge, but often that’s all the […]
The first of my many weekend trips was spent with five friends in the one and only Lagos, Portugal! After two weeks of an intensive Spanish class and a two hour final exam on Friday, I practically fell out of my chair and onto the bus to Lagos. I had been daydreaming about this beach… Continue reading Weekend Recap: Lagos, Portugal
It's officially been two weeks since moving into my Sevillano home, but I swear it feels like I've lived here for months already! Being thrown into the Spanish lifestyle has forced me to abandon all my American habits and completely adjust to the culture – much more so than I anticipated. But here's the thing:… Continue reading Culture Shock: An American College Student Living in Spain
After a five hour car ride to Miami, a nine hour plane ride to Madrid, a five hour layover, a one hour plane ride to Seville, and another two hours at the airport, you would think I'd had enough excitement for one day. But no. The real fun was about to begin. It was finally… Continue reading A Home Among Strangers: Meeting My Host Family
A lot of people may not know that I used to live in the Netherlands. I was a ten-year old bubbly blonde running around the tiny village of Wassenaar, speaking fluent Dutch to strangers and riding my bike to Langstraat for appelflappens on Saturday mornings. My family and I spent countless weekends in Germany, London… Continue reading It’s Finally Happening! My Pre-Departure Hopes, Fears, and Goals
They say acceptance is the first step. So I am here to say it. I AM A COFFEE ADDICT. You think I'm joking? Try crossing me at 3 in the afternoon when I haven't had my morning cup o' joe, and then get back to me. It's that legit. As a Tampa native who lives… Continue reading The Best Cafés in Tampa to Cure Your Coffee Cravings
The other day I had –22 cents in my checking account. Yep. NEGATIVE dollars, my friends. I'm finally living the ultimate "broke college kid" cliché and I've got to say, it's not as glamorous as the TV shows make it out to be. While I'm perfectly okay with staying home some weekends and saving money… Continue reading Downtown on a dime: How to have fun for FREE in downtown Tampa
