Tenerife, Canary Islands

Buenas tardes from the Canary Islands! As my semester came to a close with the completion of my final exams, I felt as though I had accomplished something greater than myself. To be honest, before coming to Spain I assumed that my classes would be a breeze and school would not even be a concern. Unfortunately, I experienced the exact opposite. Taking courses in another language--one that I was not fluent in--wasn't exactly a piece of cake. Although it was a challenge, I can proudly look back on my semester and give I myself a pat on the back. Not many people have the courage to do such things, and I am glad that I grasped this semester abroad by the horns, because now I know that I am capable of accomplishing anything! That being said, hard work does in fact pay off... After an intense week of final exams, 12 of my friends and I traveled to Tenerife. Tenerife is a beautiful island apart of the Canary Islands, which is under the Spanish reign. There, you can find hiking--including the third highest volcano in the world,-- El Teide , beaches, a UV index of about 9, and of course, tourists. It was the most perfect way to celebrate the beginning of summer. On our day of arrival, we took a taxi from the Tenerife North airport and headed to our airbnb. Once we arrived, we immediately got into our bathing suits and headed to our pool. Our Airbnb was breathtaking. Three stories that included a pool, a ping pong table, an elevator, granite countertops, three terraces, flatscreen tv's, and so much more that 20 year olds didn't exactly need, but hey, it's vacation! We were also only 5 minutes from a beach, which was super convenient! Our first day was mainly filled with relaxing because we had a 6am flight that morning. The next day, after my run, a few of my friends and I ventured to the nearby beach to catch some rays. Later that night we dressed up and danced the night away at a nearby club. It was a lot of fun! For my final day, we went to a beach called Playa de Las Americas. Something that immediately caught our eyes was the giant obstacle course in the ocean! We dropped our things and frantically ran like children towards the water. It was a blast! After getting a lot darker, or redder in some people's cases, we decided it was time to head back to our Airbnb. To complete our "Vitamin-sea" filled trip, we all dressed up and went to a nice restaurant on the beach. It could not have been more perfect. A beautiful sunset on the beach, a group of friends, and delicious fish--I couldn't resist getting sole again! It was so tasty! Since I am about to receive my grades for the semester I will speak in grading terms and give this trip a well deserved A+. Next stop... Home.

Sunset in Tenerife 

Holding my friend's dinner!

La Playa de Las Americas

La Playa de Las Americas