MOLLY GUADIAMOS

“Studying abroad is how I really decided to become a Spanish major, because I was not declared as a major – I mean, I always enjoyed studying languages, but I was on the Dean's list and they sent all of us information about the travel abroad program, and I said, ‘Wow, I think that would be really fun,’ so I looked into it [and] made it happen. In fact, I liked that so much that I did a second year abroad in a different country a couple years later. I did it in Spain and I was centered in the University of Madrid, and then I did another year abroad in Israel a couple years later, and it was amazing. Everybody goes dancing, which was always really fun, and staying up super late, taking afternoon naps and just getting to travel. Every weekend we went somewhere — you go either to a nearby town or go to another country. One time I just got on a train and went to Portugal all by myself and I met the friend of a guy who was dating another girl in the program on the train and next thing I know, he's like, ‘Oh, you don't have to get a hotel, just come stay with me and my family,’ and they took me around all weekend. The people we met and the celebrations there, and when stuff like that happened — it’s all just pretty amazing.”