It has been a few weeks now since I have posted because I have been very busy. Monday through Wednesday I am in class but every Thursday to Sunday I have been traveling. Each place I go to has its own quirks and characteristics. I have loved finding them in each and every city I visit.

Two weekends ago, I went with two of my roommates to Amsterdam, Netherlands. This city was one of the most interesting places I have ever been. The city is very open to anything and everything. Many aspects of the city were drastically different from what I am used to. The biggest form of transportation is biking; everyone biked. Prostitution is legal, so there are streets (the red light district) full of half-naked women waiting for men to buy them. Also, weed is legal in Amsterdam, so every street had multiple "coffee" shops with endless weed choices.

My roommates and I stayed with a friend of ours from Tulane. She showed us her favorite spots in the city. We went to the Amsterdam sign, to a contemporary art museum, to the Heineken factory, and ate at amazing restaurants. We also went on a canal tour which was beautiful and helped us learn history of the city. Amsterdam was a beautiful city with lots of different twists and turns.

Dublin has always been on my bucket list and it definitely lived up to my expectations. My friend, Shayna, and I took advantage of every second we had in Dublin last weekend. On the first day we had a delicious brunch at a local Mediterranean style restaurant, we went on a tour of the castle, went to the Dublin zoo, and went to the Guinness storehouse. The Guinness storehouse was fascinating and had a bar at the top with a 360 view of the city.

On our second day, we started at a local brunch café where everyone was overly kind. While we were eating, two different groups of local people began speaking to us and advising us on the best places to go in the city. We then ventured to the botanic gardens, which had the most exquisite plants and flowers. This large garden taught us all about various plants from the area. Then Shayna and I met up with one of her camp friends, who lives in Dublin. She gave us a tour of the city and took us to a suburb on the water. We explored the city and learned even more about its rich culture. After saying goodbye to her, Shayna and I had one of the best meals of our lives. This burger restaurant had an endless list of toppings to choose from. Once we fully digested our food, we found a local pub. Here we were able to experience the typical Dublin pub. It was crowded with lots of locals eating, playing cards, and laughing. Overall, Dublin turned out to be one of the most beautiful and homey places I have been.

This weekend is my first weekend staying in Madrid, so I have finally gotten the chance to explore my surroundings more. Yesterday, a few friends and I went to a nearby picturesque park. Here we got to ride around the park's pond in a small boat. Last night I met up with an old friend, Marta, who lives here in Madrid. She was my friendly exchange student in high school. It was great catching up on the past few years with her. Today, Shayna and I spent our day shopping near our apartment. I invested in some necessary winter clothes (even though it is still hot here).

I cannot explain in words how wonderful of a time I am having. The past six weeks have flown by and have been some of the best weeks of my life. Every day I am overly grateful for this opportunity to explore many countries while learning in and out of the classroom and about myself. October is going to be filled with many destinations and friends from all over, so stay tuned for updates!