My first weeks abroad have been packed full of adjustment, adventure, and excitement! My time has felt so full but not in an overwhelming way. My first stop was La Coruña, in the very northwest corner of Spain, where I was hosted by family friends for the beginning of my trip. I had never met them before, but thanks to their hospitality and kindness I felt comfortable and an instant bond began to form. We spent the next two weeks getting to know each other, while they took me to all the places I needed to visit before I went south. We went to Santiago de Compostela, I visited the tallest cliffs in Spain, and even went to Portugal for a day! I indulged in the local cuisine while I got used to the different eating schedule and the little differences in daily life. It was a truly enchanting time and so grateful I went there first.

The north of Spain is a similar climate to the pacific northwest. La Coruña is a beautiful coastal city known for its rich Galician heritage, seafood and cultural monuments. I arrived just on the cusp of fall so I got to enjoy a few warm days, but quickly, that fall chill set in and the trees began to turn. It is quite a beautiful time and felt a lot like home.

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Not gonna lie, the first week was pretty tough. It was the longest flight I had ever done, (three flights, one of them being 12 hours). I was mentally and physically drained: I got a huge stye the day after I arrived and my head was a jumbled mess of excitement, anxiety, and unfamiliarity. I am so glad I had the proper time and space I needed to adjust. After the first week, I felt pretty adjusted to the time shift and I began to explore, I was starting to pick up more Spanish, and I got to explore a bunch of new places and try new foods! I went to El Torre de Hercules, the aquarium and visited Picasso’s childhood home.

On the first weekend — as I mentioned before — my hosts took me to Santiago de Compostela. It is one of the biggest attractions in the north of Spain. Year round, people complete a pilgrimage on the camino de Santiago to end up at the cathedral, it is said if you complete the pilgrimage all of your sins are washed away. So many people were there: a mix of regular tourists and people who had completed the whole camino, all rejoicing in the glory of the cathedral. I got to visit the the inside of the cathedral very shortly. There is a lot of history surrounding this cathedral, which I will possibly touch on in later posts, but for now check out this source if you want to learn more:

Pilgrimage

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The following day, we went to go visit the tallest cliffs in Spain, which was an amazing sight! On our way back we had to stop to visit the town, San Andres de Teixido. In Gallego they say “A San Andrés de Teixido vai de morto o que non foi de vivo” which means that if you do not visit when you are alive, you will after you die — a chilling thought, glad I got that out of the way!

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Now to talk a bit about the food! There is no shortage of seafood in La Coruña. They are known for their good quality seafood and I got to eat so much fish and shellfish. Something new I got to try was octopus (pulpo). I had thought it would be rubbery and tough, but it was super soft and the flavor was amazing. I also got to try the numerous Spanish meals my host family prepared: paella, tortilla, pan con tomate…all of it, delicious!!!

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Some more highlights:

Portugal! (Valenca)

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Torre De Hercules:

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Cathedral in Tui

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I am now in Granada, in the region I will be living in for the next few months. I got in a few nights ago, and it feels like I have not stopped smiling since I got off the plane. Being here is so surreal and such a stark contrast to La Coruna. Here the climate is dry and arid, almost a desert. There are fruit trees everywhere, even pomegranate trees (the namesake of the city) and beyond the city, olive groves stretch on for miles. It is a beautiful area and I cannot wait to explore more! 

In my next posts I want to dive deep into some exciting topics! I wish to explore some history of the areas I am in as well as showcase the cuisine and my overall experiences with living abroad. See you next time!

If you have any questions or requests, go ahead and leave a comment! Thank you for joining me on this journey!