By: Dhani Gjini
Hiii!! Or should I say hola!! I’m Dhanai and I am a senior graduating this May, 2023, with a Bachelors in Biology. Last semester, in the Fall of 2022, I finally got to study abroad in Madrid, Spain. I have been back in Boston now for almost 5 months, and as each day goes by, the more I miss Madrid and my life abroad. I traveled so much around Spain, Europe, and Africa that I decided to document and talk about all of it in these blogs.
One problem that helped me obtain problem solving skills that I’ll share is when I was in Rome with Laura. We were taking the metro back to our Airbnb and the trains were very crowded. Laura was able to squish in, but I couldn’t get on in time and had to wait for the next train. Did I mention my phone was completely dead and that I was carrying expensive shopping bags with me and a wine bottle…. I definitely had some stares and was scared I was going to get robbed. It’s like we knew something was going to happen because as we waited for the train, Laura repeated out loud how many stops there was and where to get off at. Thank god my brain actually worked for once and I remembered what stop to get off at and how to get back to the Airbnb from the train station! Once I made it to the Airbnb, I still had no contact with Laura since my phone was dead. So, I went to the restaurant next door and asked to charge my phone to see where Laura was and if she made it to the Airbnb safe, also considering she had the key. Sadly, it took the restaurant workers a minute to be understanding, kind, and helpful since I was a bit panicked in that situation but remained calm. Once they let me charge my phone in the restaurant, I immediately contacted Laura, she told me she was back safe, and then I was able to get back into the Airbnb.
Not only do I have many stories from study abroad that helped me learn more about myself and gain new skills, it is also a good look for employers because they see that you are able to go put yourself into a new part of the world, become adaptable in new situations, and have the desire to learn about new cultures! Before I left for Madrid at the end of August, I went to Florida for a week with my family. I believe in signs from the world and when I parked my car to go into a restaurant with my family, I saw this other car that was parked next to mine and was leaving the parking lot. I was so shocked when I saw the license plate because it said “HOLA MADRID” and had a Spain flag on it! I was stunned and quickly took a photo. If I were to have noticed this license plate earlier, I would have asked the people that got in the car driving away if they were from Spain! I also randomly found a beer opener with a Spain keychain on it in the basement of my house before I left for Madrid that I have never seen before. So I took these two experiences as signs from the universe that Spain was waiting for me in a few days. I have a lot of special, meaningful memories from my study abroad that I will never forget, a lot of learning moments, tons of new friends from Spain and other countries, and the ability to travel around the world with my best friend Laura.
Studying abroad is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. It was the right place in the world, during the right time, with the right people. I am so thankful and grateful to have gone to Madrid and I appreciate that Suffolk Madrid University exists!! It wouldn’t have been the same study abroad experience without Suffolk Madrid! You best believe I won’t stop talking about studying abroad to my sisters until they go for themselves when they’re in college! I know that when I look back in 50 years and think about my study abroad experience, it will still be something I will never regret and will always cherish.
I now spend at least a few minutes per week going through my passport and seeing all my passport stamps, or going through my photos, videos, and souvenirs of all my travels. It makes my heart happy to look back on memories. Get out there and make memories around the world. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and experience new things. You only live once so make the most of it. Travel. Your money will return, your time won’t. You will never regret investing in memories. España tiene mi corazón!