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.
Last week, my parents came to visit me in Milan. They visited Rome and the Amalfi Coast for a bit and made their way up to Milan as their last pit stop of their trip. I’ve been looking forward to their visit for a while now—it kind of became an important landmark in my abroad experience. Studying abroad can be really overwhelming and, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s incredibly easy to let four months scare you; so, finding landmark events like your parents visiting really helps to break up the time and gain a better perspective.
Most of the time here in Paris, my weekend consists of a day of focusing on my schoolwork and then lots of fun activities throughout the rest of the weekend. I personally don’t like to have to be working on class things during the week if I can help it just so that I have plenty of time to relax and do other things in the evening (like go out for dinner or check out a museum randomly).
