I had the luck chance of attending one of the Magellan Study Abroad programs during summer 2012. With a natural wanderlust, I jumped at the opportunity to visit Spain. Although I didn’t realize I would be getting into so much more. I had Spanish classes with tons of international students, met some of the greatest people in my life, and travelled all over Spain.

What I really like about Magellan is the diversity in travel. On my trip, we didn’t only stay in Salamanca, but ventured up north for 10 days to the beautiful Galicia region: Santiago de Compostela, a beautiful rural town, and La Coruna, where you can look out on the water and buy crafts from local artisans. Our last two days in Madrid were fun and intense: the perfect conclusion to a great trip.

Although our activities weren’t only limited to travel; I had the amazing opportunity of participating in a ceramics class, led by Gerardo, who has his own ceramics studio, and learning how to dance the flamenco with a lively dance instructor. While my two left feet may not have helped me, I enjoyed the experience and dancing with my friends. In addition, through the school where the classes were, we had cooking classes, where we all huddled around a table and made delicious Spanish food.

What I think Magellan does really well, is giving the kids freedom, but still manages to keep a watchful eye. We were allowed to explore during the day, go shopping, or relax in the plazas, and all we needed to do was check in after a few hours. Our homestay families were caring and loving. They opened their home and heart from the very first day.

But what I am truly grateful for is the whole experience; the people at Magellan could not have organized it better: we had a month long trip filled with fun activities and adventures.