Hello! My name is Julia Behlmann, and this blog post is about my adventures studying abroad in Spain. I studied abroad through the United Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) program in Alicante, Spain, which is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea near Valencia. The palm trees and blue sky are forever in my memories! This photo is taken just a short walk from the beach and our very own castle, Castillo de Santa Barbara, that overlooks the port.
Alicante also has a gorgeous neighborhood next to the castle: El Barrio de Santa Cruz. Take a look!
All classes for USAC are taken at the Universidad de Alicante, which is about a twenty-minute tram ride to campus from the downtown apartments. I lived in a five-bedroom apartment that overlooked the central market.
Here I am on my apartment balcony, and that building shown on my left is El Mercado Central. That is where I bought all my fresh fruits and vegetables!
This is just one of the flowery spots on campus to study!
USAC had field trips for their students, and these were great opportunities to meet other students in the program and explore Spain together. Tabarca Island was one of our first trips from Alicante. We went snorkeling and tried paella – a traditional Spanish dish – for the first time!
Another USAC trip was when we visited Calpe, a beautiful beach not too far from Alicante. The sand was so white, and the water was so clear. Check out this cute sign!
On the weekends, students would travel all over Europe. I decided to explore as much of Spain as I could with these weekend trips. This beautiful waterfall picture was taken at the Monasterio de Piedra in Zaragoza. The north of Spain is very lush and green, so it was wonderful to visit in the fall!
Another one of my favorite trips was a six-day adventure in December. My friend and I traveled to Granada, Ronda, Malaga, and the Caminito del Rey in the small town of El Chorro. In order, I have photos from the Alhambra in Granada, the Puente Nuevo in Ronda, the Christmas lights in Malaga, and a selfie from the Caminito del Rey in El Chorro which was formerly the most dangerous hike in the world (that is now 100% safe)!
I ended my semester by traveling up the coast with my mom, who flew out to see me the day after finals ended. We had an incredible time, and I was so lucky to show her where I had been living for four months – these pictures are taken at the Castillo de Santa Barbara. I highly encourage everyone to study abroad and make their own amazing experiences just as I did.
