Milan, Italy: August 18th, 2013, about 2:00 p.m. I lug my backpack down from the overhead rack and sling it awkwardly over my shoulders, limited by the tight space of the train aisle. I step …
Christian Gerhart
Familiar Arrival
I blink. We’ve arrived in Barcelona. Hurriedly, I gather my things and lug my backpack off the train, trying not to hit anybody as my sneakers swing freely and uncontrollably. I make my way to …
Familiar Departure
I unlock the sturdy wooden door and enter my piso. My roommates greet me with a series of sarcastic Spanish insults that I quickly return. After fumbling for the small key that opens my room, …
An Almost Halfway Reflection
I exit Aula B-16 and say goodbye to my friends from class. The hallway is cold, as is typically the case during winter in the Complu. Sometimes, if we are lucky, the rooms are warm, …
Night Journey North
3:57 a.m. To my right, in the seat next to me, sleeps Caroline, my travel companion this weekend. To the left, darkness rushes by through the bus window. I can barely make out the mountains …
A Relaxed Morning
My phone alarm begins to buzz violently. Meanwhile Mumford and Sons’ “Awake my Soul” quietly gently builds in volume, eventually drowning out the buzzing. Groggily, I reach over and grab my phone to silence it. …
Fall in Madrid
“Hasta luego”, I yell as I walk out the door of my apartment. One of my Spanish roommates responds with “haluego”, a hurried, native, version of the same phrase. After hearing the response, I gently …
Sunday Night Fútbol
I moved into my new piso about a week ago and have really enjoyed it. I’ll be living with two Spaniards and one guy from Finland. So far it has just been the Fin and …
Arrival and Other Adventures From the First Days in Madrid
I wake up and reach for my phone. It’s nowhere to be found, and I’m forced to roll out of bed to check the time. Its 11:30, and I’m about to begin my first Sunday …
A (Relatively) Unorganized Adventure
At the moment I am seated in an aisle seat as the massive international plane I’m in cruises across the Atlantic Ocean, just off of the eastern coast Canada. My sister, who will be my …