like the time I decided to move to Spain without ever having been there before. After graduating from college and navigating breast cancer during a global pandemic, alongside the rest of the world, I knew I wanted to hit reset and do something fun and grounding post-grad while I figured out my next steps.

My year in Spain, which quickly turned into two, was exactly that. From wandering Madrid’s many barrios to island hopping across Greece and (cautiously) eating my way through Italy, Europe has always offered a new and exciting adventure. It’s become the backdrop for so many of my “firsts”: my first study abroad trip to the UK in high school, my first time using an extended layover to explore Amsterdam for a day, my first experience truly living abroad, and so many more.