5 Reasons You Should Do An Internship Abroad

You may be considering an internship abroad for numerous reasons. Maybe you want some international work experience, or perhaps a change of scenery, or maybe you are just really bored – whatever the case, interning abroad is an invaluable experience.

Here are five reasons you should stop google searching “should I do an internship abroad?” and just go for it.

1. You will not be the same person – in a good way

I’m a big proponent of getting outside your comfort zone as much as possible. Everyone knows the saying, “nothing ever grows inside your comfort zone”. Well yeah, they’re right. And this is exceptionally accurate for an internship abroad. Yes, there will be times you miss the comfort of home, and you will probably have to deal with some sort of adversity along the way (missing a flight(s)*, leaving a bag at the airport*, etc…), but you will most definitely grow. Embrace the differences and the challenges, and just know they are making you better. And once you return home you’ll see that the place hasn’t really changed that much. But it feels different. And you realize the thing that is different is you.

*not personal examples…well actually, maybe personal examples…

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” – Nelson Mandela

2. You will obtain major network #swag

Everyone knows the importance of networking. “You never know how a connection might help you in the future!” – every teacher ever. But it is really true and you should be networking as much as physically possible until you run out of business cards and/or start creeping people out. Working in an international office means your colleagues are most likely from vastly different places – giving you a network with connections all over the world. Make sure you take advantage of your networking opportunities, *cough cough – LinkedIn*. Plus, what’s cooler than saying you have new friends from all over the world? And, it’s insanely interesting hearing where people are from and the differences/similarities you can uncover – mainly that everyone everywhere loves chocolate.

3. Your horizons will be a little more than “expanded”

Learning through first-hand experience is the best way to discover other cultures and people. Maybe you have preconceived notions about an area or the people that live there because of what you’ve seen on the news, or what someone else has told you. Going abroad gives you the opportunity to see first-hand what a place is actually like. And if you are working abroad, you get the opportunity to interact with people from different cultures everyday and find out what their culture is actually like. Not only that, but there will be certain nuances about your international office that you haven’t experienced before in a U.S. internship – and that’s okay, just roll with it.

4. You will gain experience working in a diverse landscape

If you are working in an international office, guess what – it is highly unlikely you will be surrounded by Americans; in fact, you might be the only one in the office. How often in your life has this been the case? Working in a diverse office can be challenging, but it allows for different perspectives and opportunities to learn about different cultures. Plus every job interview ever asks, “Give us an example of a time you worked in a diverse landscape”… oh remember that one time you did an internship abroad? Yeah…

5. You will “hopefully” get a job afterwards

I don’t have any statistical evidence behind this, but I guarantee you an internship abroad is going to enhance your resume or CV…just a lil’ bit. No employer is going to say “wow she has experience working abroad – that’s a deal-breaker for us, we probably shouldn’t hire her”. If you are tied with another candidate, and you have experience working abroad (or even being abroad for that matter), you are most-likely going to win out. Bonus points if you learned a language.

I hope this information was helpful and you see the value in doing an internship abroad. If not for yourself, know you can at least understand the motives behind your “crazy friend who is always traveling”(me).

To learn more about interning abroad and finding an internship that suits your needs, I would start with everyone’s trusted friend, Google, or  your university’s study abroad office.

———-

I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity I had to do an internship abroad. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has created an invaluable program for recently graduated student-athletes to further continue their education or gain professional experience (PEO Program – Post Eligibility Opportunity), and I’m happy I was able to take advantage of this opportunity. Thanks to the Nebraska Athletics department and Life Skills staff that made this possible for me and all the other student-athletes.

I also want to thank Barcelona SAE for allowing me to have an exceptional internship experience abroad with Production Paradise, a photography and film production directory in Barcelona. I was a marketing intern for the company for two months and was the only American in the office. I feel extremely equipped to take the skills I learned at the company back to the U.S. to pursue a full-time position in an area that I’m passionate about. I highly recommend Barcelona SAE to students looking to pursue internships in Barcelona.

And alas, thank you to Production Paradise for allowing me to be apart of the team for two months and take in the killer office views every day. I loved getting to know you all and will cherish the time I spent as an intern there. Also, thanks for letting me take an obscene amount of pictures of the office to show my friends and my mom.

Pais Vasco or Pintxos Heaven?

Our weekend in Pais Vasco could be described in three words: rain, pintxos, and more pintxos.

What are pintxos? Oh just the most amazing late-night snack/dinner substitute and the idea for Cathy´s and my next business extravaganza (but that is a blog post for a different day).

Pintxos are similar to tapas, a small appetizer costing €1-2, which leaves your stomach and your wallet wanting more…maybe like 20? Okay, maybe not 20… but at least 10. Depending on how ambitious you are. But if you dream it, you can achieve it.

Thus, began the pintxo trail. We made it our goal to consume as many pintxos as physically possible and document our dining experience.

The winner? A vegan café’s spring rolls (in Bilbao). My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

 

Yes, Cathy and I also did amazing things in Pais Vasco other than consuming excessive amounts of pintxos. Saying Pais Vasco´s best features were pintxos would be selling the beautiful region extremely short. Due to the rain, the countryside was so lush…the grass literally looked like it had been photoshopped to be so green. (no I did not photoshop it)

Another highlight of the trip for me was touring the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao – my favorite art museum that I’ve been in to date, with work from Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and more.

Our trip to Pais Vasco included Bilbao, San Sebastian, and Pamplona (you know, the running of the bulls). Here are some pictures from these beautiful places, since pictures are more fun than reading.

Thank you, Morocco

It’s hard to put experiences into words, but this quote summarizes my trip to Morocco pretty well:

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes” – Marcel Proust

My trip to Morocco was incredibly eye-opening. I had no expectations going into the trip, but thankfully we took a non-touristic approach and had the opportunity to interact and make friendships with local Moroccans, which allowed me to learn so much more about the culture. The trip left a similar impact on me as my week in Guatemala last summer. Guatemala and Morocco are both so different than the United States in so many aspects; it’s easy to assume that because they are different, that means they are inferior.

Looking from the outside, one might lament people who aren’t fortunate enough to live in the U.S. We do have it pretty great. Most people don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, and we have passports with no limitations on where we can go. But do these privileges equate to happiness? Going to Guatemala this summer I learned our idea of what makes someone happy and successful in the U.S. is extremely skewed. It’s not about constantly growing your wealth, upgrading your cars and homes, and working to the maximum so you can afford a “lifestyle” you think will make you happy. When you take away all the material items, you realize what’s important – family, friends, your personal health and well-being, and that those around you are happy. And in Morocco this was reaffirmed.

We had the opportunity to share a meal with a farmer in a rural village about an hour from Chefchaouen, Morocco. They cooked us Couscous (which was not an easy feat for the size of the appetites in our group – mine alone) and welcomed us into their home. Looking from the outside, it’s easy to think that they aren’t happy because they don’t have modern conveniences that we are accustomed to, but talking to them it was obvious their happiness hasn’t suffered. They didn’t have everything, but they had enough, and they were in fact happy. And after talking to them, it made me realize that we aren’t all that different from each other. A quote from the dad said it best: “We are all humans. And there are good and bad humans everywhere.”

We also made friendships with students and young professionals in Rabat, Morocco. Once again finding similarities between yourself and someone halfway across the world just reaffirms the fact that we’re not all that different from each other. In fact, some of them have the same sarcastic humor that I do and one of my favorite quotes was “We don’t have Netflix, we just chill.” LOL

Yes, I know it’s crazy to think people can live somewhere besides the U.S. and still have live a happy life. What insanity!

It is so simple, though. We are all people!! We laugh, we cry, we love, we EAT, we sleep, and we are all doing the best we can. Everyone is different in their personalities, their passions, their experiences, etc., but we are all the same when it comes down to the fact we are all human. How can we make judgments and group together people we have never met and never even spoken to?

I urge you all to do your research, to travel, to witness things firsthand – and THEN form your OWN opinion. It’s fine to have an opinion different than those around you, as long as you are making that opinion on a firsthand basis, not going off what the media or someone on social media tells you. And just keep in mind; someone on the other side of the world might be more similar to you than you think.

“The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being like you. They are unique manifestations of the human spirit.” – Wade Davis

 

 

My first few days in Barcelona!

Hola amigos!

I am back in España and couldn’t be happier! My first few days in Barcelona have been a blast and I’m excited to get to know this city over the next couple months.

I arrived Monday morning, smelling like roses after a 19-hour day of travel. A taxi driver dropped me off in front of my new apartment in the neighborhood called “Dreta de l’Eixample” (pron: la-shampla). I’m staying in a beautiful apartment from the 20th century with a local, Maria, who is a painter and master raiki. I found the apartment on Airbnb.com, my trusted travel friend, and selected it mainly due to the fact there’s a balcony in my room. It’s beautiful!

All pictures taken are with my GoPro Hero 4 silver and iPhone 6. Have yet to bring out the big guns with my Canon…but I will soon! Come on… trying not to look like a tourist here.

Mi apartamento: (cuarto piso)

Later on Monday, I went to Barcelona International College to meet the other students who are doing the internship program through Barcelona SAE. We are all paired up with different companies throughout the city that fit our studies and interests. Then, we went on a quick tour of the city – learning quickly that walking is a common theme here. I met Jennifer, another intern, from West Virginia who is attending Alabama for school – we got along great and started immediately planning adventures to take while we’re here.

The Catedral de Barcelona y Barrio Gótico:

On Tuesday, I started my first day at my internship with Production Paradise. It’s an international photography company that helps connect photographers with corporations all over the world looking to hire them. Some of their clients include Nike and Adidas! So no… I’m not behind the lens. I’ll be working there for 20 hours/week, helping with their marketing, social media, blogging, and new business development. It’s going to be a pretty cool gig. Not to mention the building I work in, The World Trade Center, is literally on the water. The only picture I have is from snapchat, so bear with me as I post a stock internet picture so you can see how cool it is.

World Trace Center – Barcelona:

Tuesday evening we went out for tapas with the other interns and yup, going again tonight. Jennifer and I became friends with another intern Ayeesha, and we already have activities planned – including going to a Barca game next weekend! And hiking Montserrat this weekend. This city is sooo beautiful with so much to explore! Even the locals say they can pretend they are a tourist in their own city because there is always more to see.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I’m actually in Barcelona. I am so thankful to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for this opportunity and specifically the Life Skills and Compliance staff who have worked so hard to make this program available for student-athletes. There is absolutely no way I’d be here without their help!

Random side-note: Traveling is amazing, but it’s not always comfortable. In fact, 99% of the time I feel uncomfortable. Whether its because people stare at me because I’m dressed like its summer and the locals are in winter coats, because I am trying so hard to blend in with the locals by speaking Spanish and I fail miserably, or maybe because I was confused by what I’ve been told is one of the easiest metro systems to navigate (however, I’ve improved a lot since the first day). The point is: anytime you go somewhere new it’s going to be uncomfortable, and exhausting, and weird, and sometimes you just want to eat a Reeses but you can’t because peanut butter isn’t a thing there. Getting outside your comfort zone is scary. But it’s also where we grow. Do you want to look back on your life in thirty years and have regrets about things you didn’t do because you were scared to leave your comfort zone? No, you don’t. So go do that thing that scares you! I guarantee you’ll be better for it. Just my two-cents 🙂

Random fun fact: ¡Bon dia! is becoming one of my favorite Catalán phrases because its so fun to say. It means ¡Buenos días! in Spanish or Good morning in English!

Random fun pictures:

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Under the Tuscan Sun

Under the Tuscan Sun – I think that’s the name of a rom-com. Anyway, I figured I should do one last blog post to top off my wonderful summer because in all reality I probably won’t have anything as blog-worthy as my Euro adventures happening anytime soon. So here it is! One last blog post about my final days in Europe. Thanks for following along with my summer adventures. Hopefully my mom didn’t get too many phone calls. (scroll to the bottom if you just want to see bullet points and don’t feel like reading…but you miss out on so much fun)

Before I went to Italy I thought Tuscany was a specific city where all you do is drink wine and eat gelato. I was partially correct. Tuscany is actually a region in Italy that includes numerous cities, including Florence – and also including lots of wine and gelato.

I went to Florence Monday, Aug. 17 to Thursday, Aug. 20. Florence is an amazing city full of renaissance art and street vendors trying to sell you “selfie sticks”. You can see something different and equally as awe-inspiring on each street. When I travel to a new place I usually have no set plans whatsoever but Florence was an exception. Every review said “you can’t leave Florence unless you tour the Uffizi gallery”. Well, I didn’t go to the Uffizi gallery – I’m just not wild about museums and I’d rather appreciate the architecture of cathedrals and the buildings. So, I shaped my daily activities around something where I could be active, thus allowing myself some wiggle room to consume entire pizzas by myself and not feel bad about going for two scoops of gelato afterwards. You better believe I finished the entire pizza each time and wow, Italian pizza does not disappoint.

Monday I climbed what felt like 1,000 steps up the Duomo Cathedral and the Bell Tower to see beautiful views of Florence. Beautiful and windy. I topped the night off with a peaceful solo-dining experience and returned to my Airbnb residence.

Tuesday, I signed up for a hiking tour of Cinque Terre which left Florence at 8am and didn’t get back until 8pm. I was a little apprehensive about this adventure because an all-day tour by myself sounded a little lonesome. But once I boarded the bus I found a couple girls also traveling by themselves and stepped outside my comfort zone to talk to them. I met a girl from Minnesota and another girl from Connecticut who’s been living in Saudi Arabia for the past five years. And I thought my life was adventurous! The day was awesome and one of my favorites of the whole summer. My new friends and I spent all day talking and sharing stories of our hometowns, while simultaneously taking in the views of Cinque Terre and hiking off the pizzas we would later consume.

Tuesday night I met a girl staying in my room at the Hostel (the hostel was super safe and clean btw!) from England. She had a lovely accent and after two minutes of talking, I found out she had been to the Marine base in North Carolina (Camp Lejeune) that my family used to live on. We went out for drinks and talked about North Carolina and shared stories about our experiences. What a small small world!

Wednesday I signed up for another activity: a Tuscan bike tour that commenced at an old Tuscan castle where we tested local wine and olive oil, and of course took in the amazing views of the Tuscan countryside. After 13.5 miles of biking I was able to justify stuffing my face with excessive amounts of amazing Italian food. Being a solo traveler I had to step outside my comfort zone again to talk to people and hear more awesome stories from people around the world. I met people from Australia, New York City, Houston, and also had some great conversation with our guide who has lived in Italy his whole life. I tried doing this cool panoramic selfie but it didn’t work out very well (notice the two arms)

Wednesday night I went out in Florence with some of my new friends to a karaoke bar that was “American themed” which was quite amusing. I think the DJ strategically turned my mic off when I went on the stage. Regardless – we had a great time! Let’s just say the next morning was a little rough, but I had purchased tickets to go see Michelangalo’s “Statue of David” and was determined to persevere.

I finally made it back to Geneva after a long day of traveling and said goodbye to my uncle and his family. I will miss them a ton – but am already planning my next trip to return. My flight home was rather interesting as I went Geneva – Zurich – Iceland – Washington D.C. – Chicago – Omaha. Not to mention lost one of my bags in Iceland…the one with my camera. Oh and I lost my RayBans but I made it back in one piece and eventually received my bag from Iceland so it all worked out! I have one semester left at UNL and then need to figure out what I’m doing with my life.

This summer I was fortunate enough to see the world through different perspectives as I traveled to Guatemala, Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy, and Iceland (for an hour – it still counts). I’ve learned a lot about myself (and also how much great food there is in the world) and I’ve also received a new appreciation for home. Traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer and I definitely got my money’s worth this summer. Thanks again for following along!! And if you’re traveling please send me pictures so I can live vicariously through you until my next adventure.

Here’s some stuff I learned after 2.5 months in Europe:

• Families go to the grocery store 3 or more times a week and the food is WAY fresher (almost no processed foods)
  • But Peanut butter isn’t popular in Europe 😦
• English-speakers are spoiled. Almost everywhere accommodated for English speakers and it was hard to find someone who didn’t know at least a little bit of English (Ex: Flight/train attendants would say instructions in their native tongue AND English…everywhere)
• Almost everyone drives Fiat 500’s, Mini Coopers, or motorcycles
• We all need to slow down a little and enjoy our lives around us
• If you travel solo you get to choose everything (restaurant, activity, housing, etc)
  • On the downside you have to take a lot of selfies
• Stepping outside my comfort zone was uncomfortable at times, but those are the times we learn the most about ourselves
• McDonald’s are super nice in other countries… and also serve beer which is weird
• There’s a ton of cool people in the world – and you’ll never learn their stories if you don’t talk to them
• Even though people might speak different languages or have a different culture, our driving forces and interests as humans are still the same and everyone loves food
• The world isn’t a scary place and everyone needs to get out there and see it!

Adventures in Colmar, France

Goodbyes are never easy as I had to part ways with people who have become my family over the past two months. My time as an AuPair is officially over. But my host family promised me one day they’ll come to Nebraska so it’s more like a see-you-later. So after 2.5 months I left my home in Tenerife and with it, some amazing friends that I’ll have for a lifetime! (GoPro footage is coming soon)

I had a tearful goodbye at the Tenerife airport early Wednesday morning and arrived in Geneva, Switzerland later that evening. My uncle picked me up from the airport and it felt strange to talk to someone without having to translate your thoughts. That night we sat outside and caught up while watching the meter shower – it was beautiful! The next morning my uncle dropped me off at the Geneva train station to catch a train to Colmar, France. I was taking a picture of a cool bike before I boarded the train and the owner caught me in the act – then went on to tell me the bike was from the 60’s and the previous owner rode it in the French Alps. Thank you, sir!

Colmar is a small town (only around 60,000 people) so you might be asking yourself why I chose Colmar when I could have gone to Paris, Strasbourg, or pretty much anywhere else that normal people go. Well folks my friend Pinterest told me that Colmar is one of the “10 Places That Are a Real-Life Fairytale” AND it was accessible by a quick train from Geneva. It was love at first pin. I found an adorable place on Airbnb and despite some self-inflicted travel issues (I’ll explain later); I had a great time.

If you haven’t used Airbnb, you need to. Even if you aren’t traveling, just go to the website, type in a place that interests you, and imagine what your life would be like there. It’s a fun way to waste a few hours. In Colmar, I stayed with a French lady, Veronique, who’s in her 50’s and talked to me in her French accent while pursing her lips like she was trying to make a duck-face. She was the sweetest lady. She invited me to have dinner that evening with her friends, which consisted of me nodding my head and pretending to understand their French conversations. I told them I was from Nebraska and they go “Oh Nebraska! That’s with the cows and Indians, right? Buffalo Bill?!” Close, very close. Here’s some photos of her place and the view from her terrace:

Friday morning Veronique made me breakfast with freshly squeezed orange juice and then drove me to a small nearby village called, Equisheim – only 3,000 people live here. These houses were dangerously adorable. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t stop and ponder at some of the “for rent” signs. The whole “not knowing any French” thing is really the only dealbreaker.

After leaving Equisheim, Veronique picked me up and drove me to the Colmar center to explore some more. I realized the hard part about traveling by yourself is there’s a limit on the amount of ‘selfies’ you can take before they all start to look the same and all the angles become increasingly unflattering. Thus, I occasionally had to muster up the courage to ask strangers to take pictures of me. I only did this 4 times, but 3 out of the 4 times I asked someone, they didn’t know any English and looked at me like I had two heads. So I had to point to my camera, then point to me, then act like I was taking a picture to show them what I wanted them to do, and then they finally they figured it out. It’s stressful. The fourth time I actually came across someone who spoke English and it was such a relief. It was a girl around my age from Holland traveling with her brother. Or her boyfriend that looks a lot like her, I’m not sure. We had a conversation for about 10 minutes and I was so glad that I asked a stranger to take a picture of me that day.

After that, I went back to my Airbnb home and said “Au revoir” to Veronique and headed for the train. She told me to “tell all my friends about her place” so friends if any of you are going to Colmar I’ve got the hook-up. I arrived at the train station, bought a big water bottle from the vending machine, and happily got on the train with all my cute new Colmar souvenirs and memories. I should have known when I confidently thought to myself “I am so good at traveling” that God was about to humble me back to my dumb-American-traveling-in-Europe roots again.

About 20 minutes onto the train ride I start noticing that the destination cities popping up on the screen didn’t sound familiar and definitely not where I was going. Basel was supposed to be my connection, but the closest thing on the screen was some place called ‘Belfort’. “Oh maybe that’s another name for it?” I thought to myself reassuringly, but I had a gut feeling I was in trouble. I arrived at this place called Belfort and the lady at information informed me in broken-English that I was in fact, not in Basel. Nothing is more fun than being lost in a foreign country, am I right? So I had to buy a new train ticket for  150 and the train wouldn’t arrive to Geneva until three hours later than the original time. I honestly wanted to cry. Not because I was sad, but because I was infuriated at all the other things I could have bought with that money. Like so many cool souvenirs.

Anyways, I finally made it to Geneva and had a delicious dinner with my uncle and his family. My aunt is from Ukraine and her mother joined us at the dinner and my cousins called her “Babuchka” which is a really fun word for grandma. Meanwhile my cousins were speaking three different languages at dinner: English, Russian, and French. I want to join their family!

This weekend we are going to the French Alps to do some hiking (weather permitting) and then next week I’m heading to Florence! Hoping that I got all my bad travel experiences out of my system because I’m flying next week. And then….next Saturday I’ll be back in NEBRASKA!!!

Thanks for reading and laughing at my problems with me!

Top 5 Places to See in Tenerife

After living in Tenerife the past two months as an AuPair, I think that officially makes me an expert of the island and also you should hire me to be your travel agent. Tenerife is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to and multiple times I’ve found myself saying “this is the most breath-taking thing I’ve ever seen”…until the next week and I see something even more incredible. I can’t believe I only have a few more days here 😦

Tenerife is the largest and most populated island of the seven Canary islands with over 2,000 square km, almost a million people, and two airports. Definitely resembles Nebraska. While there is enough to see to keep you busy for a lifetime, I’ve tried to compile a list of my favorite spots on the island, ya know, in case you ever find yourself in the Canary Islands. Disclaimer: I dislike touristy places.

1. Teide: This is a given and also one of the most cherished spots on the island for many of the locals. Plus, you get to say you’ve stood at the highest point in Spain. There are numerous “miradores” (viewpoints) at the base of the volcano that are also just as incredible. Surprisingly it also wasn’t that touristy when I went, probably because you have to hike a little and that scared them off.
2. Chipeque Mirador: A viewpoint that is just above the clouds and gives you an awesome view of the Teide. Going here any time of the day is a good idea, but just before sunset is when the magic happens. When I got out of the car – and I’m not exaggerating – tears came to my eyes.
   
3. La Oratava: This is a little city that I love for no particular reasons. It’s one of those places you go and you just feel really happy. The streets are cobblestone and all the buildings are bursting with character and history.
4. Masca Village: A picture of this village came up on my Google search of the island before I came so of course I had to find it at some point during my trip. It was a beautiful village and the winding mountains made for a scenic drive. The village didn’t have much except a few houses, restaurant, and a miniature vineyard. It’s just a good place to stop, take a picture to impress your friends, then jump back in the car and be on your way.  
5. Siam Park: Yes, there is one touristy place I like and dealing with the masses was worth it. You can’t leave unless you ride the “Tower of Power”, one of the tallest water-slides in the world that makes you think “okay I really might die on this one”, but it’s over in 3 seconds so it’s okay. (thanks Google images)After I wrote this list like 10 more places popped into my head, but I’m way too lazy to redo things so here’s some places that our worth checking out too: Forestal Park (ziplining, adventures in tress, etc); Garachico (natural pools made out of volcanic rock); El Auditorio de Santa Cruz (it looks like a spaceship); Loro Parque (if you’re into zoos and LOTS of tourists)

   Thanks for reading!

22 in Tenerife!

I have one month left of my European adventure and then I return to cornland! I give people props that go longer than 2.5 months without seeing their family and friends. I’m missing my loved ones! But, I’m still having a great time so it makes it all worth it.

I’m finally getting around to summarizing my 22nd birthday and I just want to give a shout out to my host family for making it so memorable! The weekend started on Friday, July 17th, by seeing the Minions, which yes – we were going for one of the girls, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. And, I was finally able to understand a movie in Spanish, even though some parts were more or less “Spanglish” and half the time the minions were just running around squealing.

Saturday was probably my most memorable day of the trip so far – a birthday I’ll never forget. We woke up at 6:30am to go see “El Teide” which is a volcano and many of the locals’ favorite place on the island. Fun fact: it’s also the highest mountain in Spain! We took a ferry halfway up the volcano and then had about a 30-min hike to the top (I was still exhausted). But wow, the views were absolutely incredible. You could see a panorama of the entire island – a photographer’s dream. I could have stayed up there all day. And I was sung “Feliz Cumpleaños” at the highest point in Spain! Then we went home to “rest” which involved napping, eating birthday cake, and drinking coffee. The perfect pre-race combo!

The race was 7km and a beautiful course. It was in “El Medano” and started on the beach and went up into the mountains. I was equally as nervous about falling somewhere on the course as I was about being too exhausted to finish. The dad’s game plan was to get out ahead of the pack and then find a comfortable pace. I was a little skeptical because I usually start slow to ‘save my energy’, go an equally slow pace the whole way, and then finish with a quick burst (but still relatively slow) – but I trusted him and he helped me keep my pace the whole way. The course was difficult and at times we had to walk to go through the sand or up a steep rocky incline. But once we got out ahead of the pack and I was the lead female, my competitive instincts took over and I knew I wasn’t going to let any of the girls beat me (I’m the same way when I’m driving). And, thanks to our training and Javi pushing me, I somehow won the race! It was such an incredible feeling having trained so diligently and seeing all our hard work rewarded. My time was 36:41, which honestly isn’t that impressive, but I don’t care – it’s 10x better than I could have done when I first got here! And there is nothing like eating a big ice cream cone with two scoops of chocolately-goodness after finishing a race. It was a great birthday and thanks to all those back home for the support and well-wishes. I really appreciate those who have been keeping up with my crazy whimsical journey.

Sunday was also a pretty fun day as we went to “Loro Parque”, the zoo on the island which is also considered by TripAdvisor the “#1 zoo in Europe and #3 in the world”. Guess what zoo is #1 in the world? That’s right, Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, NE. Which is pretty awesome to think about when people say there’s nothing to do in Nebraska. What are you talking about!? We have the Amazon rainforest and African safari and lions and stuff.

I’ve been truly spoiled since I’ve been here and my host family has been the bees-knees of host families. I only have 2.5 weeks left in Tenerife, then I will continue my adventure sight-seeing Europe for a week and a half…I FINALLY have figured out the rest of my travel plans. I’ll be spending two days in Colmar, France (Google it), four days in Florence, Italy, and the rest of the time in Geneva, Switzerland. I’m pretty excited, but still astounded by how fast my Euro adventure is going. As always, thanks for reading!

Hugs and high-fives,

Sam

One month down in Tenerife!

Well, I’ve officially been here over a month! One month and one day left in Tenerife, then I’m headed to Switzerland to visit my cool uncle Joe and do some more exploring. I really can’t believe how fast the time is going. It feels like I just stepped off the plane to see that I was the only blonde at the airport, but at the same time, I feel pretty much at home. It actually kind of reminds me of being in the dorms freshman year. You’re in a new place, your daily routine is completely different, your mom is constantly asking you if you’re eating and sleeping enough, and you live off ramen noodles (okay just kidding). So, it’s basically the same except everyone speaks a different language. This must be how the foreign students at UNL feel. Empathy is a wonderful thing.

When I got to the island I decided I wanted to do a race because my previous race sceneries have included corn and the streets of Lincoln. So I looked up races on the island and the only one I found that wasn’t some kind of superhuman race of 50km+ was a manageable 7k on July 18. For those of you who don’t know (which I’m assuming is a very very small amount), July 18 is my BIRTHDAY! So the fact this was the only race within my skill-set, and it was on my birthday, I decided it was fate that I sign up for it (and I justified that I’ll be able to eat like twice as many celebratory sweets). My host dad, Javier, has been helping me train for the race by running 9k’s in the mountains and La Laguna (him jogging and me sprinting behind trying to catch up). I’ll be honest, it can be demeaning running with someone who is like a cheetah compared to a sloth, but it’s cool seeing the progress I’ve made. July 18 is going to be a fun-filled day of sweat and sweets! Although I will miss my family A TON and gorging ourselves at the annual b-day spot, HuHot.

I’ve also made a new friend on the island which gives me another person to explore with. Her name is Annika and she’s an AuPair from Germany. Except she’s way cooler than me in that she knows German, Spanish, AND English. Sometimes she forgets what language she’s speaking in, but other than that we get a long great. On Friday we went “downtown” for some drinks in La Laguna (really not sure what they call that here) and met up with some of her friends that she’s made on the island. It was a mix of people in their late 20’s receiving doctoral degrees in chemistry. Needless to say, I felt out of place. But, everyone was really friendly and I immediately felt welcome in their group. Except when we went to the dance floor. Fish out of water. I felt like someone threw me in a choreographed dance routine and I was that girl people point to and say “wow who let her in?”. Luckily, it was dark.

Being an AuPair definitely has its challenges and it’s taught me that parents are amazing, amazing people with LOTS of patience. Whenever the kids are being ornery I sense that this is karma for all the times I hid from my parents in clothing racks at department stores. Kids are also very brutally honest and it’s refreshing. They informed me that I have an “American accent” when I speak in Spanish and also that I look better when I wear high heels. LOL kids. I love em though…in fact, some exciting news… As I was typing this I got invited to my very first slumberparty with one of the girls (or as they like to say: pijama party). I feel so cool!!!

Anyway, island life is great but I miss you all a lot! If you want to shoot me a birthday message it’ll definitely make me smile – just a reminder I don’t get texts so you’ll have to get creative. Thanks for caring enough to read about my adventure and make sure I’m still alive! (I know my mom probably makes up about 50% of my page views).

Hasta la próxima – I’ve got a slumberparty to attend.

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In Tenerife there’s a tree called “El Drago” which is believed to be over 1,000 years old and the oldest tree in existent. Last Sunday we went and saw this tree and then went to Garanchico to swim in the “piscinas naturales” that are formed by volcanic rock. There was also a market in the street that day which reminded me of the Farmer’s Market in Lincoln. All in a days work!

Take Time to Hang Dry Your Clothes

Well it’s been a little over 2.5 weeks and I’ve already gotten writer’s block. I must say it’s much easier for me to capture my thoughts through a camera lens, but my mom “wants to know what I’m doing” so alas, here I am. That wonderful woman just sent me a care package the other day filled with beef jerky, peanut butter goodies, my camera charger, and pics of my beautiful fam…so if she wants me to write, I’ll write. Side note- peanut butter isn’t really a thing in Spain and it’s so so so sad. They have no idea what they’re missing. (happiness + calories)

I wasn’t exactly sure what to write about until about ten minutes ago. I decided I want to share with you guys a lesson I’ve learned so far since being here. But first, an overview of nannying so far!

I started my “actual” nanny duties this week since the girls are done with school, and it has been an absolute blast! I get woken up around 8:30am by the youngest, Laura, who says in the sweetest voice ever, “Sam, I’m hungry”. Then, I prepare breakfast for them and they eat their gourmet meal of muffins and “Cola Coa” in front of the ‘tele’. Then, we hang out for a few hours; play games, draw, paint, watch Disney Channel shows dubbed over in Spanish..then lunch time! After lunch: more games, more drawing, more painting, more DC. On Tuesdays and Thursday, we go to the “Club Nautical” to swim (for me: get sunburnt), play basketball, swim in the sea, eat ice cream, etc. At first, I was a little nervous how the heck I was going to keep these kids entertained all day, but I realized the secret is to become a kid again myself – and it’s a blast. Also, playing games with kids is very humbling. It makes you realize that kids are smarter than you and also, that they can beat you in games.

When I’m not busy being a world-class kid-entertainer, I do some chores around the house. This involves dishes, making the girls’ beds, cleaning up meals, laundry, and hang drying the clothes. Hang drying is a very new concept to me, and at first I was very confused at the concept. They have a dryer, but prefer to hang dry every t-shirt, socks, towel, etc and let it nature take care of business. It took me almost an hour (and I’m not exaggerating) to take down and fold all of the items that were already hung up, and then hang up all the new clothes and towels from the washer.

I initially thought: why on earth would someone waste their time doing this when they have a dryer that does it for you? Obviously hang drying is more environmentally friendly and energy efficient, but the wasted time just seemed silly to me. However, I noticed after hang drying clothes a few times, I started not to mind the task. It was mindless yes, but it allowed me to focus solely on the task at hand and let my mind drift into a wonderful state of relaxation (no, I wasn’t falling asleep). Instead of thinking about everything I could be doing instead of hang drying clothes, I was actually enjoying the moment. So often we think we’re wasting time by doing tasks that have no immediate gratification, when in reality, these are the most important tasks. We’re always rushing from workouts, to school, to work, to study, to volunteer, to see friends, to eat, to check social media, to sleep; constantly thinking about what we have to accomplish next. We push ourselves to the point of exhaustion, just so we can say “I did it all”. But in reality, the most impactful moments in our lives are the ones when we can slow down and truly be present in each moment. If our minds are constantly worrying about our to-do list and what comes next, how can we take time to enjoy what’s happening at that moment? We can’t.

So am I suggesting you dump your dryer and start hang drying all of your clothes? No. In Nebraska hang-drying your clothes would work about 10 days out of the year. But I do think we need to change our mentality from trying to cram as many things possible into our days, to taking time to enjoy all the slow-down moments. It doesn’t matter if these moments don’t get you closer to your next promotion or making your body more toned. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices in certain areas of our lives, but we can’t sacrifice these slow-down moments.   

So what’s the biggest takeaway I’ve had of the past 2.5 weeks? Take time to hang dry your clothes (or do another similar task if you’re from a state with bipolar weather). And don’t let kids beat you in board games. (or try to make it look like an accident)

Thanks to my host dad, Javier, for the some of the photos! And for getting me prepped for the 7k on my b-day (this also includes a lot of chocolate consumption)

Hasta luego!