With the same group of friends who had gathered in Scotland in 2009, I met my brother in Spain during the summer of 2010. He was there for a period of exchange through Erasmus+, a European Commission program that supports education, training, youth, and sport in Europe.
We met him in Valencia, a port city on Spain’s southeastern coast, where the Turia River meets the Mediterranean Sea. Compared to the previous summer in Scotland, the visit to Valencia was a blessing for me. I could take life easy on the beach while enjoying sangria and beer. While there I attended a Formula 1 race, which was extremely exciting to see in person.
Since we had our own car while in the country, we took the opportunity to visit Segovia, Salamanca, Santiago de Compostela and Porto, Portugal, where I drank port wine for the first time in my life. We also visited Barcelona, where I slept on the beach and saw the famous church Sagrada Familia. After a few days of travelling, each day blended into the next. What an amazing time!
To experience these countries and their history for myself was an enriching experience. To be carefree while traveling and expect the best to come — this mindset made the holidays an unforgettable experience.
It was during this summer that I learned how to start enjoying and appreciating my time and my life.
