The final stop of my J-Term adventure brings me to the lively city of Madrid, Spain. It’s about time we get to a country where we can actually enjoy “winter.”

After fighting the rain, wind and cold of London and Paris, the 55 and sunny Madrid weather is a breath of fresh air to us Minnesotans. Apparently, they still call these types of conditions winter here; I call it T-shirt weather.

As we strolled through the streets of Madrid to an alley flea market, I removed my jacket and rocked a T-shirt for the day. The weather did not disappoint. I proceeded to break a sweat and even get inklings of a tan as we moved on to a rooftop bar.

Everyone walking the streets with me was dressed like they were in the middle of downtown Grand Forks, North Dakota. And trust me, I suffered freshman year up there, and it is cold!

Winter jackets, scarves, hats, you name it. It makes you think how where you are and what you’re used to can make things seem so different.

Being from Minnesota, if it’s not single digits or below zero, it’s not cold. But to Madrid, which is used to much warmer temperatures year-round, 40s and 50s are apparently the equivalent. They even close some outdoor things because it’s “cold.”

Safe to say I’d rather have their “winter” than ours.

As I mentioned earlier, we ended up at a rooftop bar as the day came to a close. It boasted an absolutely breathtaking 360-degree view of Madrid, and the ensuing sunset was arguably the most gorgeous sunset I’ve ever witnessed in my 21-and-change years on this earth.

There was literally only one flaw I could find with the moment: The bar was closed for the winter. They think it is too cold for people to sit atop a roof and enjoy a cold one during the winter months there.

Excuse me, Madrid. Maybe you missed it, but I am in a T-shirt and breaking a sweat!

Despite its backward weather habits, the city itself did not disappoint. The views, the people, the energy and the nightlife (which should be called morning life) made for a truly fantastic way to end this month-long trip of a lifetime.

As this is ends my three-part series, I encourage all of you who are thinking about studying abroad, and even those of you who, like me, weren’t really keen on the idea, to go abroad! The things you see and the people you meet make for one of the most rewarding experiences you can hope to have during your college career.

I know I will treasure the memories and friends I made over the past month for the rest of my life.

Scott Sikich can be reached at siki3549@stthomas.edu.