Last year, I had the opportunity to go on an exchange to Barcelona, Spain. This chance came to me by applying through the faculty of Education at UNB. When I found out that I had been chosen to participate in this program for a semester, I was so happy. I have always wanted to travel and live in Spain, and fortunately I was able to make this dream come true.

I left Fredericton in the midst of a terrible storm on one of the last days of January 1998, and flew to Paris, France. I traveled by train from there, stopping on the way for a few days to visit some friends. When I arrived at the train station in Barcelona, I was so anxious to get settled. A friend of mine, who participated in this program the semester before, came to pick me up. I was so glad to see her. Even though I'd been studying Spanish for a few years at UNB, I really hadn't much of a clue what people were saying.

Fortunately, I found a place to live quickly and got settled into life in Barcelona. The whole experience was wonderful. I made friends and went out to enjoy the nightlife. I also learned how things work in universities in Spain, as well as in their schools. I visited other parts of the country too and even made it to Portugal by train and bus. It was exciting and I had lots of fun.

The last two weeks of my stay, I worked in an English summer camp. This was definitely a major highlight of my trip. I got to live, teach and learn with children from the area of Barcelona. Everyone I met was helpful and welcoming.

When I came home in July, I was so full of emotions. I was so sad at the thought of leaving such a beautiful place and people, but I was glad to return to my home. It's so hard to describe the whole experience, but I hope that I've managed to capture a little bit of what it was actually like to live for a semester abroad...memorable and for sure unforgettable.

Home Address
33 Lilac Cres.
Fredericton, New Brunswick
E3A 2G8
Telephone: 506-453-0117
email: n0a2@unb.ca

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