Without fail, abroad can be an exhausting excursion. Alotting yourself time to take a nap or go to sleep early some nights is essential in staying rejuvenated and happy while abroad. However, there is such a thing as abusing those essential naps.

Salamanca, Spain is a home of the typical cuisine of the Spanish countryside. I still feel apprehensive about some typical dishes, like cochinillo (roasted suckling pig) or the over-indulgence on tuna fish which finds its way into cheesy lasagnas. On the other hand, I wake up every morning excited for a day in the heart of Old Castilla and the opportunity to indulge in some of my new favorite dishes. 

Colds are a universal experience, and no matter how far you travel, you can’t escape the sniffles.

I know as a planet we have spent the last two years learning about how not to get sick and mandating the proper protocols for when you start feeling under the weather, but it is always good to check in with yourself. Am I feeling the best today? Is this a headache because I am tired or because I am coming down with something?

When you live in close quarters with at least five other people, it is only natural that there be a few points of contention.

I find that the closer the roommates, the more a little conflict can show up. This is fine, probably healthy. If one person brings up something they are upset about, it means they feel comfortable enough to share their feelings and trust that everyone can work together to come up with the most utilitarian solution.

In what feels like the blink of an eye, over a month has passed since I first arrived in Berlin. The rhythm of my daily life changed as quickly as the sights and faces I interact with every day. Now, instead of speed walking to class from my campus-adjacent dorm, my routes and timing have to be more intentional, and less rushed. Bumping into someone on the sometimes-narrow sidewalks of Berlin is more complicated because I don’t know if I should say ‘sorry’ or ‘entschuldigung.’ Everything feels different.

While on spring break, my friend Ian and I took a couple days to visit Marseille in the south of France. I had never been to France and hadn't learned French since middle school, so I was surprised to learn that my biggest takeaway was the bread. I know the French are known for their bread, but the brioche, which I had never heard of, was a bombshell. It's a dense sweet bread, sometimes with added ingredients like caramel, chocolate, or sugar on top. Kind of like a less sweet cake without frosting.

Netflix can wait, but the world cannot. 

Once routine sets in, it is easy to get stuck in it. Grab a coffee, go to class, come home, do homework, do laundry, make some dinner, and watch a movie to unwind. 

All is fun and games until you remember it’s midterms. 

Swept up in the glamor and freedom of living your best life abroad, it is easy to forget the real reason you are in a new country: school. 

This past weekend I went to Tuscany on an IES Abroad Fieldtrip. I will include some photos this time so you can get a taste of its magic.