What were you grateful for this week?Learning. Living and travelling abroad cultivates an environment to learn about culture, history, language, nature; all within a short time-frame. Arguably the must important thing I’ve learned is about myself — the things I value, my personality traits, and my ability to be independent.What was the most challenging part of this week?Overall, my largest obstacle in Spain has been communication; not in the language barrier sense. It’s important to ensure that everyone understands and agrees with expectations.Tell us about a “wow” moment you had this week. Random cleaning sprees and writing cute notes to host family members.Tell us about your week! My typical week in Cordoba entails taking care of the little one, exploring the city, studying Spanish in coffee shops, attending local festivals and events, siestas in the park, spending time with other au pairs, and, when I’m particularly motivated, going to the gym. I also took intensive Spanish classes for a week, and my Spanish improved dramatically. I am nowhere near fluent, but I can generally express my ideas and understand people when they speak despacio. May is the perfect time to arrive in Spain because it is dedicated to the Feria, flamenco/guitar festivals, and other exciting events. I knew that Spanish people loved to party, but I was not prepared to stay out until 6 am my first night going out. I feel like an abuela compared to the people my age here, because I would rather stay in most nights. I’m also still adjusting to the fact that everything starts later in the day, including meals. The majority of my weekends occurred in Cordoba, but I have also been able to travel to Malaga, and I plan to travel to Seville, Granada, and Barcelona. My favorite weekend trip was to Lisbon, Portugal. The hilly city was absolutely stunning and everyone was incredibly friendly. In Sintra, a fairytale-like city just north of the capital, the environment was lush and green and palaces could be found throughout its mountains. I’m excited to see what else Spain and the surround countries have to offer. Me encanta España.