I’ve been quiet for a while. School has definitely taken its toll and trying to maintain a GPA while holding down a job has left me with little time for pleasure writing or reading. Not to say I regret it—the opportunities that have been given to me after my return to Chapel Hill have been fantastic! I’ve met authors I’ve idolized for a long time, am currently working on a literary analysis for a soon-to-be-published anthology, and have semi-taken up Portuguese. My professor says I’m a natural, but yesterday I mistakenly wrote a whole essay in Spanish, so I think he might be lying.

Nothing finer than Carolina Basketball!

Wisdom teeth removal was a great time.

Rise Donuts and Biscuits gives me a lot of happiness.

We’re number one, and so is she.

We won the National Championship and I won the March Madness bracket competition, which clearly requires the same level of talent, training, and skill.

Megan has a thing for cutouts.

Easter with my favorite.

I’m going abroad! And this was the most studious snapchat filter at the time. #HeelsAbroad

This is a brief summary of the last month and a half.

All of that to say… as we walk (or limp) into finals here at UNC-Chapel Hill, I’d like to announce that I am yet again running away from the United States, though this time there’s a definite date of return. Spain is once more letting me within her borders—surprising, given how notoriously criminal I am—this time to attend the University of Oviedo, otherwise known as UniOvi, as an exchange student for the autumn semester.

I’m particularly excited about this because it will be whole different “taste” of Spain. I took a big bite of Barcelona—wow, it’s crazy to think we returned almost a year ago—and now I’ll be getting a feel for the Asturias region. Oviedo is pretty different from Barcelona, yet still a city. It has roughly 1.5 million fewer people, is situated in the mountains instead of by the beach, and is known for rain and cider versus sunshine, partying, and fútbol.

I probably won’t miss trees this time around, though I may miss the balmy ocean breezes of Barcelona. I’ve heard the hiking’s fantastic, which means I have to pretend to be athletic, BUT I heard the food is even better. There’s lots of seafood and new cheeses to try and evidently the way they pour cider is ridiculous. Cider is so prevalent in the northern areas of Spain, they have sidrerías instead of cervecerías.

I’m gonna have to hit the books again, but I’ll be back soon with new stories. My summer is full of exciting adventures: weddings, beaches, cruises, and more! Not to mention the upcoming fall, which promises to be absolutely fantastic!