On a previous blog I told the story of how I decided to step out of my comfort zone by talking to someone at a park. From that moment not only did I gain a local friend, but a door to a lot of activities happening around Paris. I was trying to look for dance activities around the area, because that’s an activity that is within my comfort zone, but life brings surprises. 

One of the common themes of this study abroad program is the hands-on aspect of every class. I feel like in my entire science career (and honestly most of my schooling in general) I’ve never had this many hands-on experiences where you’re actually doing elements of research.

Nuevo mes, nuevo blog. It’s November now and I can hardly believe it! Time has been flying by. It's crazy that it’s been just over half of the semester already. I’m not gonna focus on that right now though because the thought of leaving makes me sad :( Instead, I’m gonna talk about something that isn’t very exciting or happy, so I’m sorry if you came here today looking for excitement. Maybe look at some of my other blogs for that. Today I’ll talk about something I’ve started struggling with more and more in the past weeks.

Ever since I was young, my parents have called me Miss Independent. 

Today marks the halfway point since arriving in Nantes, France. How has time managed to pass so quickly? There’s so much that has happened in the past month and a half I’ve been abroad and I’m not sure a blog post can do it justice. However, I’ll do my best to sum up a few of the highlights.

I know that I haven’t posted in a while, and I am so sorry for that. Midterms got to me and my schedule has been messed up for the past few weeks. However, that’s not what I wanted to talk with you about.

One of the biggest challenges since studying abroad, perhaps unsurprisingly, has been adjusting to the food. Not just the cuisine, but the entire culture that surrounds eating and going out to restaurants in Spain can be overwhelming for a foreigner. Below you’ll find some of the most important tips surrounding what and how to eat like a local in Madrid.

If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Berlin is the city that gives you the option to sleep.
I’m being very literal there, as on a federal level, Germany operates on the Nachtruhe law. It’s a word that translates directly to “night quiet,” and, besides letting the neighbors get some shut-eye, is something meant to reduce noise pollution on a national scale. From 10 PM to 6 AM, you’re legally obligated to manage noise in such a way that it doesn’t bother other people.

I have yet to write about my classes in the Galápagos, which is a little strange considering it’s a large portion of how I spend my time here! Despite what my Instagram might make you think, I am “studying” abroad and not just “snorkeling” abroad.

On Jägerstraße, not very far from Brandenburger Tor, one can find a plaque in honor of a foreign, wholly non-German historical figure.