My daily routine begins with my alarm going off at seven. It includes going to class from 8:30 to 1:00 Monday through Friday, eating lunch at 2:00 with my host mom or my friends, and enjoying a miscellaneous amount of activities from that point on. I typically use the metro for one trip then walk the forty minute walk back to my place in San Ignacio. While using the metro every day, I have not noticed one particular person or group of people on the metro nor ran into anyone several times. I have a special connection to some of the places on my walk to Deusto. First, there is the fruit shop where I sampled and then bought my first melon. The café where my host mom often sits with friends outside is a landmark that always sticks out on my walk because I sometimes know some of the people who are there. Most importantly, my apartment building has a special place in my heart. Overall however, it is hard for me to pick out certain landmarks that have affected me habitually; I usually try to go to new places and do not frequent specific shops or streets more than once. In terms of suggestions for other students, here are my top five:

1.      Speak Spanish as much as possible. I enjoyed several great conversations with my host mom, bar owners, taxi drivers, a four-year-old girl on the metro, and other students at Deusto. You learn a lot more about the culture and the people.

2.      Go to a smaller town festival that is not widely known on an international basis. I went to Bermeo’s Madalena festival with my partner from Tandem, and I have never had a better cultural experience in my life.

3.      Have a budget, but do not be too stingy. Spend money on experiences and memories that you are going to treasure forever.

4.      STAY WITH A HOST FAMILY. You might miss out on some parties, and maybe you will not have a super awesome relationship with your family. But take the risk because the experience is priceless.

5.      Don’t get too caught up with recording memories (at the same time, don’t forget to do some recording). Some of my most enjoyable times happened when I forgot my camera and wasn’t caught up with trying to take a picture of every single building or sight. Also, take more pictures with people than only of the things you see. These pictures will have more meaning.