Arcos Learning Abroad

I have lived abroad and traveled outside the States on multiple accounts, so I was pretty excited about adding another country to my list of places I have been too. However, in all my travels, I had never traveled so far from home or for as long, so I definitely has my reservations. This trip was exceptional and beyond worth it! In all my experience of travelling I have never done anything like this and I will never forget it. I am so incredibly proud of myself for doing this and I have absolutely no regrets going. It was definitely a lot of money, but it was worth every penny. There was so much to do, but it felt evenly paced. I had the time to relax and enjoy my down time but I also had the time to go and do everything. I like the amount of time spent out there. The people at ARCOS were all so phenomenal and did an incredible job putting the trip together and making it as smooth as possible even with all the little hiccups we had. Despite it being during the pandemic, they made it work and made it worth the time and effort. I have no doubts that future groups going will have an even better experience. In regards to the Camino, I am not an athletic person and despite being from Colorado, I don't hike much either but it was hands down, the cherry on the top and perfect way to end the entire trip. It is so incredibly rewarding but I highly suggest whoever reads this to start preparing for it months in advanced. Buy the proper gear and most importantly, put the money into buying nice shoes. Your shoes and socks will make or break your walk. I wore HOKA shoes with wicking socks for the duration of those 5 days without any blisters! The walk may seem daunting but was by far the best part of my trip and I'd do it again.

This program is something that everyone will have a different experience with. When anyone goes out and studies abroad, it is supposed to be about learning and experiencing yourself and as well as the environment around. The community will not only teach you more about you, but also about how you see yourself on your journey. There may be times where you want to go back home, but take every moment you get out there and truly learn and get out there as much as possible. If you are looking for something that you may feel like you want to take a chance and aren't looking for something in particular, you should take it. Arcos host some of the great staff and also teachers such as Dr. Lunden MacDonald that makes the experience ten times better! Bien Camino!

Studying abroad was the best decision I ever made. I had an amazing time and everyone affiliated with the program was amazing. My host family was amazing, they did an amazing job at making us feel welcomed and their food was amazing. The only critique I have is that the Camino de Santiago could have been explained better prior to the trip and I wish that there were more students living in Spain in our classes. Other than that, I wish the program was longer! It truly was an amazing experience and everyone working with ARCOS and our professors made the experience even better.