As Americans, we’re always looking for that “quick-fix”. A way to lose ten pounds in ten minutes. How to get rich in thirty seconds flat. Earn your Master’s Degree in just four hours. We know these types of advertisements are usually scams….so why do we still click on them? Because we’re searching for change, for something amazing that is going shake-up the monotony of our everyday lives. And we want this change to come as fast and as easily as possible. So, what if I told you that you really could change your life in as little as fourteen days? Would you click?
So, you want to change your life, and you want to know how. Well, let me tell you. In the summer of 2015 I boarded a plane all by my twenty-year-old self, destination: Spain. This was my first study abroad experience. I remember thinking as the plane took off, “Oh no, what did I get myself into?” Little did I know that summer would change the rest of my life, in ways I never thought possible.
On the plane, I was sat next to a woman in her late forties. She was planning on hiking “El Camino” (A backpacking trail that leads to spiritual discoveries spanning from the South of France to the Western tip of Spain) for the second time. I immediately felt some relief. If this woman was crazy enough to backpack across Spain, not once, but twice…then this country must have something special to offer.
I often describe that summer as the universe’s chance to smack me in the head, and instead of saying,” Could’ve had a V8,” it said, “Wake up, dummy! You have so much living to do!” Going to Spain the first time gave me perspective, respect for a culture I had studied in school for years, an open-mindedness only achievable through travel and experiencing other human beings different from myself, and college credit! That’s right, not only did I become a better version of myself – I furthered my academic education!
And there you have it. You want to change your life in as little (but probably more because you’ll fall in love with the country, the people, and the food, and come back three more times in three years like I did) as fourteen days? Sign up for a summer study abroad program through Travel & Education. You’ll earn college credit and begin to change your life. Head on over to http://salamanca.me/university/shortterm/ to find out more.
And because I know you’ll be back, here’s the link to study abroad for a full semester: http://salamanca.me/university/semester/
And because I know you’ll catch the travel bug and want to find out what other countries have to offer your personal growth journey, here’s a link to our Cuba programs: http://salamanca.me/cuba/
Students in the Plaza Mayor, Salamanca, Spain — This could be you!
Travel & Education 