I am about 5 days from leaving Barcelona and it has been an incredible experience. However, during this trip, I have been fortunate enough to visit Madrid, Spain and Paris, France.
The Madrid visit was included in the trip itinerary for this program and it was incredible. I visited the Prado Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum. It was amazing to be able to see the works of Picasso and Goya in person. While I was not able to take photos due to museum protocol, I was able to cherish the works as they are considered art classics. In addition, I traveled to Estadio Santiago Bernebeu, the home stadium for Real Madrid F.C. It was an incredible experience as I am a huge Madridista. I was able to see the stadium and view several trophies, including their 2018 UEFA Champions League trophy.
My trip to Paris was something that I planned way early on. As it is my first time in Europe, I felt that I should take advantage of the time I had here since I am truly unsure when I will return due to monetary issues. Fortunately, one of my friends on this trip and I were able to buy a cheap plane ticket and lodging for Paris, which is an expensive city. There, I experienced a huge culture shock. Given that the place speaks solely French, I was unsure of how to order at several restaurants. However, that did not stop my experience from being great. I was able to visit the Louvre Museum, the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, and of course the Eiffel Tower. I arrived in France during an eventful weekend; it happened to be Bastille Day and the World Cup final. These were truly once in a lifetime experiences and I am so thankful that I was able to experience it.