This... is the on-again, off-again first solo trip overseas. I had booked a longer version of this trip in the summer of 2014, but my head immediately filled with doubts: Will I be able to get around? Will I be able to communicate with anyone? What happens if I get stuck or lost? Are these countries safe? Will I be bored or lonely?

 

So I canceled it.

 

A few months later, I re-booked an abridged version that stuck to the capital cities of Madrid and Lisbon. Maybe that was smart. I enjoyed Madrid and fell in love with Lisbon, and came home wishing I had stayed longer.

 

This trip cemented in me the idea that people, be they Spaniards, Portuguese, or American, are people. The vast majority of them are welcoming and curious of people from other cultures and hope that they enjoy and appreciate their countries. And that travelers, especially, are friendly types that don't really classify people by race, gender, or age. Once I returned from Lisbon, I was ready to explore the world.