Tutti ne hanno bisogno, soprattutto i giovani

Emilija, a participant in the “Discover Spain” program, shares her reflections from her time in Spain. Here’s what she had to say:

I spent July and August of 2019 in Spain, in a beautiful suburb of Madrid called San Agustín de Guadalix. It’s a quiet, green, flower-filled area that’s peaceful and family-oriented. What amused me at first was that locals call it a “village” due to its size, but to me, it looked far more modern and organized than any village I’ve ever seen.

From day one, the host family welcomed me with open arms and treated me like one of their own, which instantly won me over. Communication with the parents was seamless since both spoke excellent English. That helped a lot with the kids, too, though they often spoke Spanish around me, which worked in my favor, since the language naturally started to sink in.

I was taking care of a sweet little girl and boy, ages 10 and 8. They were lovely (though occasionally mischievous, as kids are). Their mom helped me a ton in the beginning with ideas for spending time with them, until I got the hang of things myself.

In my free time, I’d wander the streets of Madrid and slowly explore its endless sights. It’s a massive, bustling city, and getting to know it properly takes time, but public transportation is super well-organized, so even though it was new to me, I adjusted quickly.

I also connected with a few amazing girls from the program, and together we took some weekend trips outside the city. The family was incredibly supportive and even gave me extra days off to travel. I got to visit Toledo, Valencia, Barcelona, and Bilbao. While I loved our group trips, I have to say, my solo adventures to Valencia and Bilbao are some of the most unforgettable memories I brought back. Something is empowering about traveling alone, navigating a new place, and meeting strangers who become part of your story.

I even got two full weeks off from my host family, which I used to travel down to the very south of Spain, soaking up the sun on the endless beaches of Tarifa—and from there, I hopped on a ferry to Morocco and got to taste a whole new culture.

To me, travel—and stepping outside your comfort zone, even if just for a few months—is something everyone needs to experience, especially young people. It’s the perfect chance to learn more about yourself, test your limits, pick up a new language, and most importantly, create memories that will stay with you forever.