It is a weird sensation waking up in a foreign country half way across the globe. This morning the exhaustion had caught up with me. Today, July 14th, marks a little more than a week since we arrived in the city of San Sebastian. I have consecutively slept no more than five hours each day since landing. Sure, this behavior is not all that healthy, but when will I be able to say that I will be in Spain again at nineteen years old? I have tried my best to fill the past couple days with adventures that I would hold onto through the rest of my life. Despite the lack of sleep I still pushed myself to get up in the early mornings on numerous occasions during the trip. The adventures that resulted in these early mornings have led to some of the prettiest views that I have ever seen.

It had been the second day from arriving idea and I had the (not so) bright idea of getting up at 5:45 AM to watch the sunrise. My friend, who reluctantly agreed to go on the quest, was not too enthused. Regardless, we had still woken up and gone on a run, making it about two thirds up a small peak named Mount Igueldo. The mountain flanks the southern edge of the city, allowing for a panoramic view of its beaches, buildings, and most importantly, the sun rising from the east. San Sebastian had gifted us a 65 degree F° morning, which allowed us to comfortably ascend the mountain’s inclines without getting drenched in sweat. After the difficult run, we were rewarded with a stunning view of the city.

Heading out after Spanish class of today, the entire group of students ventured near the “old part” located in the middle of San Sebastian. We had gone to a “mountain” named Mount Urgull, which in reality is a small hill, and ascended its steps. The mountain, which had been used as a military base to protect the old city of San Sebastian, now serves as a museum and view point of the city. From within the museum, we learned more about the history of San Sebastian, the military advantage of Urgull, and saw exhibits of what the “old part” looked like before the rest of the city of San Sebastian was built around it.

To add onto the already busy day, a group of six people including myself decided to travel across the Spanish border to a nearby French city called Biarritz after the tour of Mount Urgull. July 14th happens to be French independence day, where numerous cities in France would celebrate by throwing parades, festivals, and shooting fireworks. After arriving by bus just after 6 pm, the group of us ventured out into the beautiful city of Biarritz. The streets were packed with locals and tourists running around to celebrate the day. Being located in the Basque country, Euskara, the native language was scattered throughout signs, buildings, and menus across the town. There had been a stark contrast in the buildings, architecture, and in a lot of the food that we tried there. Walking through the streets, the six of us were able to see the differences in the culture between the two countries. After some exploration, we had ended off the night by watching some fireworks and taking a late night bus back to San Sebastian. Despite arriving back at the hotel at around 2:30 AM, I do not regret a thing and would do it all over again.

As our trip to San Sebastian nears its halfway point I am reminded of the importance of being willing to explore, getting lost in the places you travel, as well as in life in general. Personally, I think that staying curious and adventurous has allowed me to appreciate life and the beauty within it. By going out, trying new things, going on adventures, or even doing things that we are afraid of, we can make more worldly and culturally aware versions of ourselves. These actions, especially in the state of today’s world are more important than ever. I hope to find myself continuing to being curious throughout the rest of my adventures in and near San Sebastian. I do not think I would want to have it any other way.