Today I have 6 challenges I have experienced on this trip:
1. New Languages. Being in Spain I knew I would encounter a language barrier. It actually has been a lot easier than I had expected. I am learning more and more of the language each day and am feeling more confident each time I speak. But we also encountered new languages in Ireland and Scotland with their own Gaelic languages.
2. Trying new food. Although I am not a picky eater there have been a few foods that I had no intention of trying but I did. For example, in Spain at our welcome lunch we had sardines. I did not particularly care for those. Then at our mentor dinner we had octopus which I have never really had as well as cow stomach. That was actually very gross and was thankful I had taken a bite before finding out what it was. In the British Isles I did not experience this as much due to how similar the foods are to back in the States.
3. Physical ability. Coming on this trip I knew there would be a lot of walking. However, I was unaware of how much this would actually come out to be. In Ireland and Scotland I averaged about 15,000 steps a day. In England around 5,000-10,000 depending on what I was doing that day. In Spain I average about 10,000 steps as well. I have learned how to hike mountains which I had no idea even how to do and I trusted in the fact that I could get back up after coming back down. I also realized that eating healthy really does help and gives me the strength to be able to go on these excursions and trips I wanted to do.
4. Meeting new people. Even though I am seen as a social butterfly I get really nervous in meeting new people. But on this trip I have learned that meeting new people is quite fun and lets you experience new ideas, thoughts, and traditions. When I met all 21 girls on the British Isles trip I was unsure of what to expect but in the end we all became close and I was thankful for the experiences we had. As for the people in Spain I am thankful I have had the chance to become closer with them too.
5. Traveling so much. The one thing I was looking for out of a study abroad was the ability to go to new countries and experience as much as possible. I knew it would be rigorous but I was not expecting what I got. There were some nights we left the hostel in the morning checked into a new one that night and the next morning we were out of there again. I learned how to pack light and only take out the necessities at night. It was quite the adventure nonetheless.
6. Adapting to different cultures. This has been the biggest challenge I feel. When I came to Ireland I was unsure of what to expect. I knew they enjoyed their Guinness and really liked potatoes. But I was taken aback at how much they respected their country and were thankful to be in it. In Scotland I thought it was all about haggis when in fact they had a strong appreciation for the highlands, for their identity whether it was in the mountains or in the city. They were also very quite and more closed off compared to the Irish but that was part of their culture as well. In England, they were very fast paced and enjoyed the city life. Granted we were living close to the city so it might have been different if we were further out of the city. Either way it was another culture we had to adapt to. Especially when taking the underground; there was barely ever anyone talking and when they did they knew you were a tourist most times. In Spain, this has been a totally different cultural experience then I had ever experienced! The times people eat, to what they eat, and to how they survive in this heat has been a challenge. They eat dinner some nights after 8 or 9pm and they eat so much seafood. I love seafood but sometimes it feels like too much. This heat too though has been killer and they say that it has been a crazy heat wave and even the locals are not used to it. But they keep going with their everyday lives as though it doesn't matter or mean anything. It was definitely something to get used to.
Okay, now that I have talked a little about the challenges I have experienced here so far here is what I did today!
I started my day by waking up and getting ready for the beach! Yes I said it, Beach day! I went to the metro and actually got very lost. My friend and I were going to another town to go to the beach which meant we needed to take the rail train which is like the above ground train. I got off at the wrong line so I was all over the place. I ended up going back to where I started and realized I was at the right stop just the wrong line so I made my way to meet her and I finally found her. We got on the train and made our way to the beach! 
We made it to Sitges! We just walked through the small town and got a feel for it. It was super cute. I got some more postcards of course and then we made our way to a little café for some lunch. I got a chicken Panini that was delicious! Then we made our way to the beach. We had decided that since it would be harder to find a place in the sand we could buy beach chairs for cheap and just get to lay out in the sun. We did that and it was the best decision! I didn't get all sandy which was very nice. I went out into the water a few times but I mostly stayed and enjoyed the sun. After about 2 and a half hours we realized we were tired and it was time to go home. We left on the rail and came back to the station. I came home and then took a nap which was wonderful. Then I made some dinner and did some homework for tomorrow! This is my last week here and I know I will be just relaxing and preparing myself for my trip home.
Until then!
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