Alyssa Voight- Blog Abroad

Officially, I have been living in Spain for one month. Within one month my life has entirely changed. But what else would you expect from moving across the world and leaving the comfort of everything you have ever known? 

The journey to get here was not as magical as I had planned it to be. It was the most nerve-racking summer of my life having to wait for my visa, which arrived three days before I left. I had submitted all my documents three months prior, but the company lost some documents and I had to resend them. Smooth sailing was not an option this summer. But, alas, it arrived and I did not have to reschedule my flights. Also, I advise anyone traveling 24 hours on a plane to not get a sinus infection before leaving. The easiest part about leaving was just having to sleep on the long flight. And as soon as I landed in Madrid all the hardship was worth it. I made it. 

The excitement of being in a place I had only seen in pictures was overrun by pure exhaustion. Nothing a bit of medicine couldn’t fix (okay, a LOT of medicine). Thankfully, I had my mom with me for a week in Madrid to help me settle into the city. Although I was sick, I managed to drag my body around the city and show my mom the places I planned for us. Together we saw the Royal Palace of Madrid, Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor, and other beautiful places that I took too many pictures of. On one of our nights in the city, we had dinner at a rooftop bar. We sat silently and in awe at the sight in front of us. We were looking over all of Madrid, with the sun setting behind the Royal Palace. So much time, money, and work were put in by my mom and myself to get us to that point. We looked over at each other and shed a few tears. My mom, who is in her 50s, told me she never thought she would see this part of the world. Her dreams of traveling were overshadowed by working and creating a family. But there she was on this rooftop in Spain because I decided to take a chance to study abroad. And there I was with her, because of her. Where I am would not be possible without her. 

The week with my mom was over too soon and we had to say our goodbyes. She told me to be strong and I told her to be stronger. After all, she left her only baby girl across the world. I reassured her that I would be alright. She kissed me goodbye and soon the excitement of my new life stirred wild in my stomach. While my mom was with me, we found an apartment next to campus. Unlike other students I have met I do not live in the city center. However, my rent is cheaper, and I am content taking a train ride into the city when I want to do something fun. Every time I want to go out I take a train for 30 minutes and I am then in the heart of Madrid. The tricky part is making sure you don't miss the last train home. I already had to pay for one too many Ubers or get lost trying to find the correct night bus. It is all a part of the adventure, especially with new friends!

Nonetheless, I am happy. It did feel weird not going back to UNM this year. Major FOMO has hit me. I miss many things from UNM that I didn’t expect to miss. My freshman year was great, and I created a life that had to be left behind once the spring semester ended. Part of me wishes I could freeze time at UNM, so I can resume life there when I return without missing out on anything. But life goes on and I have no regrets about studying in Spain. I make the most out of every day and remind myself I am accomplishing a goal I have had since I was a kid. Eating lots of churros also helps ease any melancholy thoughts.

The weeks after moving in have been filled with so much exploring and meeting so many new people. If you are a social butterfly, the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid is for you. The school is full of international students who are eager to meet someone from an interesting place. I have already befriended a Spaniard, a German, and some Slovakian girls. I would go on about the people I have met, the food I have eaten, and the art I have seen, but I will save that for next time. Right now, I just want to sit with the fact that I made it to Spain. Some days it feels all too surreal. It’s all happening. I am living in a reality I have created.

It’s incomprehensible how much we are capable of until we finally explore it.  

Away from the cold noisy city of Madrid, the warm weather of Tenerife called out to me. Until recently, I thought the world was too dangerous to venture into alone. So I challenged that idea and booked one ticket to Tenerife, a Canary Island part of Spain. At first, the thought of going alone scared me. I had always traveled with my family or a friend. My mom had also always advised me to travel with someone, especially as a girl. You can only imagine how much stress I gave my mom when I told her I was traveling alone to a small island. Paranoia and fear did enter my mind, but I did not let my thoughts limit my ability to set out on this small journey. 

My first solo trip was truly unforgettable. To any girl too afraid to go out there alone, don’t let fear get in the way of seeing the world. I want to start with the obvious: make smart choices! Prioritize your safety and trust your instincts. I can thank my mom for making me over-prepared for every situation. I advise the same to anyone traveling with or without someone. Download offline maps, take screenshots of tickets and important documents, keep a copy of your passport, plan out routes from the airport to where you’re staying, and let family and friends know where you will be. Being over-prepared allowed me to enjoy my trip all the more. 

Traveling alone meant I had no one to rely on. This was more liberating than a daunting thought. Yes, I was responsible for getting myself to the airport, to my hostel, and around the island safely, but I knew I could trust myself more than before. Being alone allowed me to make a choice and not have someone question it. If I was wrong then there was no one to blame but myself. No one could influence my choices for this trip. If I wanted to stop for a coffee in the middle of the day, I could do that without asking anyone if they wanted to do the same. Even better was not having anyone judge me for eating a sweet treat before having a proper lunch. But what I truly enjoyed was listening to the rest of the world. 

The part of the island I stayed on was away from the city and more rural. There was only one bar near my hostel and the rest of the buildings were small homes. Everything was on the coastline. I could hear the waves crashing every morning and every night. My hostel was perfectly placed near the beach. For three whole days, I laid out on the beach and watched the waves come in and out. I studied the people who passed me by. I listened to different languages being spoken around me. I wrote for pages and pages in my journal and finally let myself decompress. On this beach, I was able to hear my own thoughts. Madrid can be hectic, there is always a train to chase or human traffic on sidewalks. As much as I enjoy the big city, I loved my time in Tenerife. 

The hostel I stayed in made my trip even more memorable. The owner was British, and he had a team of volunteers from around the world. It was fascinating talking to the other people passing through as well. Everyone had a story, and everyone was eager to share their backgrounds. Listening to where people have been and where they are going is always inspiring. It made me consider traveling to places I had never thought of before. I never realized how many other places I never considered traveling to, such as Morocco or even Turkey. Coming to Tenerife was not in my plan until an Australian girl in my class told me about her trip there. The hostel also came with a free breakfast, which was delicious! Everything was homemade each morning by the volunteers. So, everyone in the morning gathered together on a small outdoor terrace and shared a meal. After eating and talking to new people, the hostel grew silent. Everyone was either reading, writing, or drawing. All we could hear was the ocean. In between I was able to befriend a girl from Hungary. Her name was Reka, and she taught me how to play the piano and some of the guitar. The hostel created a homey feel that almost made me consider never leaving the beach. Also, the view from my hostel bed was straight out of a dream. Who knew a hostel bed could be so heavenly? 

My first solo trip left me feeling empowered. For some time, I was able to enjoy my solitude before going back to chasing trains in a sleepless city. For the first time, I was able to love myself in my silence. The fresh air by the seaside was a cure for my seasonal blues. Maybe my next solo trip will be in a big city. Then I will have to learn new ways to navigate unknown parts of the world on my own. And yes, I will freak out my mom again. As for myself, I’m no longer afraid to face the unknown alone.