Ciao! I’m Mary and I’m blessed to spend the semester in Siena, Italy. I’m a junior double major in Psychology and English at Hope College in the charming West Michigan town of Holland. I grew up in the woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and love to go on adventures, have deep conversations, drink unnecessary amounts of chai tea, play the piano, become totally engrossed in books, and most of all—learn. I am very excited to be immersed in the Italian culture and beautiful language, learn to cook, and have the experience of a lifetime! I can’t wait to share my journey with you!

Jason Klanderman, originally from Chicago, grew up in Amsterdam. He has travelled extensively through Europe and Asia. He is an International Politics, History and Global and International Studies triple major, with a minor in Chinese at Penn State University. When not in State College, where he is currently living, you can find him traveling between Amsterdam, Singapore, and various other places, visiting family and friends. His hobbies include reading, writing, cooking and going to the gym. Read about his experiences as he tackles the middle kingdom, China, during his spring semester 2013.

My name is Rebecca Organ and I am a junior studying Bioengineering at Rice University in Houston, though I’m originally from California. Having taken Spanish throughout high school and for a part of college, I am thrilled to have the chance to put my language skills to use. I am a huge exercise geek, am always looking to try new things, love to take photographs, and can never say no to a good cup of coffee. Though I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to a variety of countries such as Peru, Puerto Rico, and India for various service trips, I have never been to Europe, let alone Spain. Needless to say, I’m excited!

Jocelyn Wu lived in sunny California for 18 years before relocating to Ithaca, NY to study apparel design at Cornell University. She is currently a junior. She strives to design innovative, functional, and enduring clothing that elicits an emotional connection with the wearer. Her dream is to become a "people's designer": far from the realms of both luxury and fast fashion, serving those in the average population who understand that clothing is meant to be cherished for years beyond a single season. When she isn't in the studio, Jocelyn likes to knit, study foreign languages, journal, cook, bike, play the guitar, run, and wash dishes, occasionally (somewhat) simultaneously.

I am a junior at Gettysburg College, double-majoring in Spanish and my very own Individual Study major. My one true love is my team: Juventus and while most days I'm a completely rational being, there's a 2-hour window during the weekend where I am lost in the joy of fandom. I also play intramural soccer, with semi-finals being the best result so far (fingers-crossed for finals next year!!!!). Always a fan of arguing, I can also be spotted challenging people's beliefs or stances on a daily basis to spark interesting conversations. Never an avid reader, but more of a picky one, my favourite genre is historical fiction, preferably pre-medieval. Another hobby is singing which I do aloofly around people, so much so that I ended up singing for the Gospel Choir at Gettysburg College, though not being a believer.

Alexandra is a junior at Georgetown University majoring in Operations and Information Management with a minor in French. After taking Spanish, Italian, and Latin in high school she decided she needed a fresh start and began French in college. Since she’s started to learn French she’s fallen in love with the language. She hopes to one day be fluent in French completing her life long dream of being bilingual. During her spare time she likes to read, practice her photography, and learn new baking and cooking recipes. Abroad she hopes to completely immerse herself in French cuisine, language, and culture.

Claire Fishman is a junior at Brandeis University, majoring in Psychology. Outside of class, she enjoys singing with the university’s chorus and playing flute with a student orchestra. Her hobbies include reading, writing, cooking. Claire has traveled to Central America twice (Costa Rica and Honduras), but this will be her first time in South America. Despite having grown up in a large city, she loves spending time in nature, and looks forward to exploring the biodiversity of Ecuador. As someone who loves to travel and try new things, Claire is thrilled to be embarking on this adventure!

Hi! I’m a third year English major and film enthusiast at the University of Virginia. I grew up in Great Falls, VA – a suburb a few miles outside Washington, D.C. – but have always wanted the chance to explore a city like Barcelona independently. In recent years I’ve travelled through many cities in Western Europe – including Berlin and Prague – and I spent three weeks this past summer visiting my sister in Kuanton, Malaysia, where she was teaching English at a state school. The blog she kept up during her time in Kuanton inspired me to blog for IES. I hope you enjoy my musings!