The adventure has officially begun!
On January 25, 2025, I set off on my long-anticipated journey to Sevilla, Spain. Before this, I had spent nearly nine years in the U.S., the longest I had ever lived in one place outside my homeland of Laos. I had always dreamed of traveling and moving abroad after high school, but like many, my plans were put on hold due to COVID-19. Now, after years of waiting, planning, and preparing, I finally made it to Sevilla on January 27, 2025!
This is my first major trip on my own, without friends or family, so it feels like a huge milestone. To make sure everything went as smoothly as possible, I planned, double-checked, and then planned some more. Thankfully, between my preparation and a bit of luck, my three flights (Honolulu → Vancouver → Munich → Sevilla) were shockingly uneventful, exactly what I hoped for during nearly two full days of travel. I arrived safely, and to my relief, so did all my bags. I had been warned that every semester, a few students don’t receive their luggage right away, so I was extra anxious. But there they were, waiting for me at the baggage claim.
Now, the real challenge began: getting a taxi without speaking a word of Spanish.
A little backstory, originally, I planned to study abroad in Japan or South Korea since I had taken language classes for both and had a basic grasp of them. Plus, having been raised in Laos and lived in Bali, I was more familiar with Asian culture. But I wanted to push myself outside my comfort zone, and choose a country where I neither knew the language or culture but have always wanted to visit, so I chose Spain, where I knew almost zero Spanish. Besides simple greetings, my language skills were nonexistent.
Luckily, getting a taxi turned out to be easier than expected. I just had to stand in line and show him my host mom’s address on my phone. Crisis averted, until I had to pay. I didn’t have exact change, so I handed the driver a €50 bill. The total fare was supposed to be around €23 (as our university had told us since they were regulated by the government), and based on his body language, I swore he was about to drive off without giving me any change. Just as I started panicking, my amazing host mom arrived! Thanks to Google Translate and her quick thinking, she got my change back. Lesson learned, host moms are lifesavers!
Tips for Your Travels!
Have exact change! If you’re exchanging currency before your trip, request some smaller bills and coins. Some taxis don’t take card payments, so cash is essential.
Carry a reusable water bottle. Airport water is expensive, so refill your bottle at water stations instead.
Dress warm for the airport. If, like me, you’ve never lived in a cold climate, bring extra thermals. Trust me, they make a huge difference.
Keep airline notifications on. My gates changed a few times, and those alerts saved me from running across terminals last minute.
Arrive early. Get to the airport 2-3 hours before your flight. I thought it would be too much time, but I ended up needing every minute.
Have fun! Don’t forget this is the start of your journey so remember to enjoy the little things and pat yourself on the back that you are officially beginning your study abroad adventure.
And just like that, my study abroad adventure has begun. Here’s to new experiences, new challenges, and a whole new world waiting to be explored!
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