I graduated from high school in with a New York University acceptance letter and an invitation to study abroad in Madrid for my entire freshman year. Because of the pandemic, my plans to study abroad didn't come to fruition until this spring. It challenged me in many ways, but here are four of the main things I wish I had known before getting on that seven-hour flight. In February, I went to a march in Madrid to support trans women. Exhilarated by the vibrant energy of a 17,person crowd, I never questioned my safety.
That was a mistake. I quickly learned pickpockets thrive in crowds. Amid the excitement, I sent a photo back home to my mom and put my phone in my jacket pocket. It was taken almost immediately. The next day, I filed a police report and bought a burner phone.
Fortunately, I was able to replace my iPhone a few weeks later. I learned my lesson and was ready to move on. But my phone was stolen for a second time from my zipped purse at a club โ another pickpocketing nightmare. At this point, I was disheartened by my experiences. I wasn't the only one; NYU said about 10 students had their phones stolen last semester.
Luckily, I made do without my phone. I got to enjoy a trip to Morocco with no social-media distractions. I not only survived without a phone but also thrived in its absence in many ways. Like my parents told me, "Your phone's gone and that sucks โ but you're not. That's what matters most. He quickly caught on to my elementary-level Spanish and apologized for not speaking any English.
I told him his language was anything but an inconvenience. We were in a Spanish-speaking country after all, and I was there to learn. As we drove around the countless roundabouts under the late Spanish sunrise, he asked me what the English word for traffic light was.
