This past weekend my school in Madrid has winter break. I could’ve easily taken advantage of this season and gone on a ski trip, however, I chose to spend it in sunny Barcelona.

Being the only student from Le Moyne in my school, and also in this city, has been an interesting experience, especially since many other study abroads know at least one other person from their home institution. Don’t get me wrong, I kind of like being the only Le Moyne student – it makes me come out of my shell and be more social; forces me to make new friends to share memories with.

However, this weekend was spent with a friend of mine from Le Moyne who is studying abroad in Barcelona. I’ve known Elizabeth since freshman year; we share a lot of the same friends and memories. After 2 months of being here, it was a nice change to see a familiar face in a foreign place, share stories of our abroad experiences and talk about Le Moyne, and what we miss about it.

During my stay in Barcelona, I saw and explored as much as I could. I like to say that we lived like Cheetah Girls this weekend – minus the whole ‘being teenage pop stars’ thing. We strut along the streets of Las Ramblas, beside the waterfront, in el Barri Gotic, and through Park Güell. We ate our way through Mecat de Sant Josep de la Bouqueria and made friends with street performers along the pathway leading to the Arc de Triomf.

We were also able to see and go inside of the famous Sagrada Familia. The only words I can find to describe it are: magnificent, amazing and wow. It is definitely a must see. And word on the street is that after about a century and a half, construction will finally be finished 10 years from now. So keep your eyes peeled in 2026 to see if it actually pans out to be true.

I experienced the majesticness of the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc and made my way to the top of Montjuïc [a famous mountain in Barcelona, that holds the National Art Museum of Catalunya], where I watched the sun set over a vast view of Barcelona.

It was a weekend filled with adventure, food, wine, walking, tapas and creating more memories with a fellow phin. Although I didn’t get to see everything that I wanted or planned to, that just gives me a reason to go back again soon!