She was traveling through South America for 5 months, before going back to Spain for work.

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Ahh, Barcelona.  It was a must-see city on my second ever swing through Europe in early 2009.  Now I just need to go back in Summer for the full experience.

You remember Emily Callagan, right?  She wrote the most popular article on Go Backpacking last month, entitled “The Importance of Hooking Up Abroad.”
Since so many people enjoyed her writing, we thought it was time to share a little more of it.  The following excerpts are from her stories on Drexel’s blog, The Smart Set.
Birthday Wish

I [...]

So I’m lounging on my couch after two late nights of partying in Medellin, waiting to be picked up by some new friends to spend the night at a finca (country house) for the first time, when Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations comes on the TV.  It’s an episode on Spain, and the second segment is [...]

My return to Europe 10 years after my first backpacking trip there was a blast. No Visas, no currency exchanges, no need to show evidence of onward travel. The hospitality of my friends and couchsurfing hosts was amazing. I have definitely learned how to treat my future guests in the right way. [...]

I slept late again, and struck out on a mission for cash and Colombia guidebook (in English). I tried at least four local banks, all of which denied my request for a cash advance against my credit card. One gentleman did point me in the right direction, toward Plaza del Sol, the [...]

I arrived in Madrid after a tiring 8 hour bus ride. We stopped every 2 hours for toilets and food though. Snow covered the ground 2 hours outside Madrid. I took the metro to meet Yair, my couchsurfing host in Madrid. As we chatted, he effortlessly cooked up a great ravioli [...]

 
 
Thankfully not my Capital One credit card, which I had left in my money belt back at the hostel (locked in the top part of my backpack, which I didn’t bother to put in the hostel locker). And it wasn’t really a wallet I’d been using. I had purchased a small [...]

 
I’m on the bus to Madrid. 8 hours – a long haul. About last night…
 
I got a bit of rest at the hostel and took the metro to the stadium – Camp Nou. It was pretty easy. Got to the gate at 8pm, but they didn’t open until thirty [...]

 
I took the metro to La Sagrada Familia, the grandiose yet unfinished cathedral of architect Antoni Gaudi. Upon exiting the metro station, I turned around to catch my first glimpse of the northern facade. Aye caramba – it was hideous!
 
 

 
 
I walked around the exterior to the southern entrance where [...]