A month has passed by since I left the familiarity of Chicago behind and boarded a flight to Madrid to spend my junior year of high school studying in Spain through a program called School Year Abroad. After a last week of (tearful) goodbyes and bon voyage dinners, I was anxious to meet the classmates I would be spending the next nine months with.

This whole “living in a foreign country” thing didn’t hit me until I had already boarded our morning flight from Chicago to Boston. Applying to study abroad in Spain had been on my mind since the beginning of sophomore year, an idea I didn’t want to get my hopes up for in case I wouldn’t get accepted. The idea of me actually spending a year away from home at sixteen years old seemed unrealistic. When I committed to the program, Spain became a topic I’d briefly mention in a conversation and let go of right away. It felt too distant. I guess leaping into the unknown has its consequences, one being that you never know the full extent of what you’re getting yourself into until you’re already in the moment.

As the back wheels of the airplane gently lifted off the ground and our plane lifted off the ground, tears began to roll down my face. I peered out the little airplane window, savoring every last glimpse of Chicago’s skyscrapers and beautiful Lake Michigan. Soon enough, I fell asleep on my mom’s shoulder and woke up to the announcement from our pilot that we were preparing to land in Boston.

The sequence once we landed in Boston up until to the point of boarding the plane to Madrid went by too fast. I grabbed my two 23 kilogram suitcases, and wheeled my way over to a Hilton Hotel conference room for an orientation meeting with the SYA president. Soon enough, both of my bags were checked in and the point at which I was dreading the most became reality. I hugged and kissed my family goodbye until I noticed all the other students heading towards security. I hustled to catch up with them and began to introduce myself to my fellow classmates.

As soon as we took off from the ground, a unfamiliar sense of relief came over me. I knew this journey destined to get more challenging from this point, but to me, I had made it past the first obstacle–getting onto the plane. The flight to Madrid was only six and a half hours away, so for the time being, I browsed around the movie options and turned on “The Greatest Showman.” In Spanish, of course.

The Iberia Airlines flight, carrying almost sixty SYA students, landed at around 6:30 a.m, shortly before the sun began to rise. Our group unboarded the plane, passed through customs, collected each of our oversized bags, and shuffled into two buses for a three hour drive to Zaragoza. I spent the bus ride meeting new people, playing card games, and admiring the view from outside the window at the hilly deserts and distant mountain ranges of Spain. When we arrived in Zaragoza, I was welcomed by my host parents and greeted them with a cheerful “hola” and dos besos, a double cheek kiss, a customary greeting in Spain. I sorted my luggage out from the bunch and hopped into the car with my host parents. We drove to the apartment where I unpacked, met my host sister, ate a hearty lunch of ensalada con atún y aguacate (salad with tuna and avocado), cheese tortellini, and fruit. After lunch, I enjoyed my first siesta, an afternoon rest or nap. Even though it’s nearing the end of September, the temperature during the day here reaches at least 80º F (or should I say, 26ºC). The combination of heat and jetlag put me to sleep right away. Later that night, my family and I walked around the center of the city and showed me the notorious “Plaza del Pilar” and the grand river that runs through the city named Río Ebro.

Zaragoza is unlike any other city I’ve visited before. One of my favorite aspects about it is the architecture. Every single gate and exterior looks as if it were crafted with a clear purpose. I love the way in which the bright colored apartments located above stores and cafés stand out against the cobblestone sidewalks. Beyond that, the food here is excellent.

One of my favorite sections of the city is known as “El Tubo”or “the tube” in English. It’s a collection of side streets conveniently located in the same general area that houses majority of the tapas joints in the city. The atmosphere is lively and fun to visit with friends on the weekends because you have the options to try a variety of different kinds of tapas while listening to local musicians playing on the street.

It’s the little moments I look forward to within this year that keep my spirits bright through feelings of homesickness. This first month has been demanding in terms of adapting to the new people in my life and pushing myself to speak in Spanish as much as possible. An aspect of the year I am beyond excited about is being able to independently travel around Spain with friends second semester. Similar to gaining the ability to sign out for the first time Freshman year, it’s a privilege we have to earn. One of our tasks to prove we are reliable enough is to answer a series of surprise phone calls from the school, even on weekends!

Two of the places I am hoping to travel to at some point this year are Barcelona, located on the northeastern coast of Spain, and San Sebastián, a city situated northwest of Zaragoza. But for now, I’m enjoying my time in Zaragoza alongside my new family and friends.

Wherever this year may lead me, I am all for it. An experience like this comes once in a lifetime and it’s one I’m prepared to take on. I look forward to sharing stories from this year and hopefully, inspire you to go out and seek adventure in on your own.