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Meet Our Spring 2025 Correspondents

This spring our Correspondents will be sharing their stories and study abroad journeys from our IES Abroad Centers all over the world. 

Meet Our Correspondents

Latest Blogs

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Trending Student Bloggers

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Gail Curtis

Bates College
Siena - Study in Tuscany
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Gail Curtis

Bates College
Siena - Study in Tuscany

Hi! I’m Gail from Rockport, ME, a small, rural town on the coast. Growing up, I fell in love with nature—mountains, woods, and the ocean. As an English major, I’m also passionate about reading and writing, which let me explore the world in new ways!

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Raine Botello

College of Wooster, The
Salamanca - Language & Area Studies
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Raine Botello

College of Wooster, The
Salamanca - Language & Area Studies

I am a Mexican, Queer, Posse scholar. I am very excited to study abroad and open to all the experience I will have. From good to bad, I am ready for the challenges that await and am ready to share my experiences.

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Lyla Anderson

Connecticut College
Milan - Italy Today
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Lyla Anderson

Connecticut College
Milan - Italy Today

Hi, I’m Lyla! I’m a student at Connecticut College, where I study Government, English, and Italian Studies. Beyond being an avid reader, I love adventuring, petting dogs, and meeting new people :)

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About IES Abroad Blogs

students snorkeling in Galápagos
Mason J. • Wake Forest University

At IES Abroad, we know study abroad is life-changing. But, don’t just take our word for it! 

Read first-hand accounts of what students experience on our study abroad and internship programs around the world. Our student blogs are unedited, unfiltered, real posts from students just like you.

You're bringing more than just your luggage with you while studying abroad. The aspects of your identity—all that makes you who you are—come along too! That's why our IDEA (Initiative to Diversity Education Abroad) Correspondents are here to share how their identities intersect, unfold, and evolve with their lives abroad.

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“At the risk of being redundant, if you’ve been trawling through the massive infodumps I’ve passed for blog posts trying to determine if you should go abroad: you know what my recommendation is. Make the plunge and don’t look back.”
Avery T. • Williams College • Berlin – Metropolitan & Urban Studies

Blogs by Destination

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a cityscape of beautiful Barcelona

Barcelona

a student poses for a photo on the windy coast of Cape Town

Cape Town

the neon lights and crowd-filled street in Akihabara, Tokyo

Tokyo

two students jump into a pose for a photo in front of the Louvre

Paris

students swimming in Las Grietas on Isla San Santa Cruz

The Galápagos Islands

an artistic shot of the Colosseum in Rome

Rome

Blogs by Category

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Featured Social Correspondents

Evan Gordon headshot

Evan Gordon

Penn State University
Rome - Language & Area Studies

Evan Gordon

Penn State University
Rome - Language & Area Studies

My name is Evan Gordon and I am from Rutherford, New Jersey. I currently attend my dream school Penn State where I am involved in many different clubs and activities. I enjoy going to the gym and spending quality time with friends and family.

Ava Lenting headshot

Ava Lenting

Hope College
Granada - Liberal Arts & Language

Ava Lenting

Hope College
Granada - Liberal Arts & Language

Hi, my name is Ava! I enjoy being my own personal nail tech, drawing, listening to alt/indie/R&B music, & taking care of all my plants that make up a jungle of my room. When I can, I also enjoy playing tennis & reading non-school-related books.

A girl smiling

Usomine Omamegbe

University of Texas - Austin
London - Business

Usomine Omamegbe

University of Texas - Austin
London - Business

My name is Usomine Omamegbe, and I am from Nigeria. I go to school at the University of Texas at Austin, where I am studying Finance. I have always loved content creating, and have done it personally as well as professionally, on and off campus.

Ainsley Braun headshot

Ainsley Braun

Penn State University
Berlin - Language, Culture & Politics

Ainsley Braun

Penn State University
Berlin - Language, Culture & Politics

As the youngest of five in a military family, I value experience, inclusivity, and creativity. I express these traits through scrapbooking, baking, creating social media content (videos, blogs, photos), and forging new connections with others.

Become an IES Abroad Correspondent

Do you want to contribute content of your own while studying abroad or interning with us? Learn more about how to become a blogger, photographer, or social media correspondent!

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