Oh, did I forget to mention that Valencia is perfectly situated on the coast of Spain/the Mediterranean Sea?

I’ve been so busy with classes, homework, and ISA meetings that even though I’ve been in Valencia for five days, I still hadn’t visited the beach. Well, on Thursday, my roommate Heather and I decided to change that! First we needed to stop at an ATM and withdraw our first Euros. For our first time, I’d say we were pretty successful 🙂

wooohoo!

After our first ATM experience, we hopped on the bus to go to the beach! (Though we could do the 40 minute walk, we didn’t have much time after class before dinner). We found some great places to take pictures along the way, as you can tell 🙂

Excited to see the beach!

roomie!

I should take a moment to talk about Heather, my roommate in Valencia. She is from Wisconsin and studies marine biology, and she’s also allergic to gluten! Though it’s hard to have a food allergy anywhere, it’s especially difficult in a foreign country. I love having a roommate who understands the burden. So far our host mom has made some great food for us! Most importantly, Heather is also super obsessed with taking pictures, so we are great together! 🙂
Now, back to the beach! 

Playing in the water made me think of California, which naturally made me think of home and my family. I’m so wonderfully blessed with a supportive and loving family, who made this trip possible! Thank you to all my relatives for helping me grow into the person I am, and I can’t wait to share all my wonderful experiences with everyone when I get back.

Love always,
Maggie