Submitted by Quinn Wichert on the 2024 Spring program in Madrid, Spain…
I took this photo at Madrid’s Plaza Mayor where I’d met up with two friends Reese (on the left) and Bergen (on the right). It’s funny because Reese, who has been my best friend for as long as I can remember, was visiting Madrid from Florence. Bergen, who I met through Reese, is her roomate at University of South Carolina.
Seeing these two in Madrid made me feel at home in a place still very new to me. It was so surreal to have such familiar faces and it brought such a sense of comfort. Studying abroad in Europe is amazing because it is so easy to travel to different countries, a convenience that I never knew growing up in America. I can’t wait to travel throughout Europe and hopefully visit Reese in Florence as the semester progresses.
Knick-Knacks
I took this photo in a shop in Sol. The whole shop was filled with cute little knick-knacks and souvenirs. These purses in particular reminded me a great deal of my grandmother. Like something she would see in a similar shop at home and bring back for me and my sister. I took the photo to send to her because it had her written all over it. I find myself far more communicative with my family members since arriving here than ever before. I’m constantly seeing new things that remind me of home and I love to share them with those family members. The distance really makes you appreciate being with them even more. While I’m loving my time here, I wish I could share it in person with the people I love back home.(Submitted on January 28, 2024)