There are many things that I wish I knew upon my arrival in Cape Town, one of which is very, very important. If you’re a foodie like myself, you know that one of the things that you need to know going into a new city is how to tear through it gastronomically. If you’re the type that plans lunch at breakfast and dinner at lunch like so many before us, this article is the one for you during your stay in Cape Town.

When I left the United States in January, I was a clean slate. I lived in a new country, attended classes in a new education program, spent my free time with a new circle of friends. I could become anyone I wanted.

In Dublin, I was alive, and I acted like it.

Finding a gym in Milan can be pretty tough. I spent weeks calling and visiting various gyms to find a well-priced place. Depending on your location, there may be a gym for a good price but are often not the best or the biggest. Since I live a little bit far out of the Milan city center, there were not as many gym offerings for me. Some gyms also only allow you to visit it once a week only. A lot of gyms were asking for over $300 for only 3 months and I also had to spend money to get a physical checked by a doctor.

A week and a few days ago, I found out that my study abroad program was cut short, and that we were all required to go home. Now, I think we all have done a lot of talking about why, so I am sure you already know. But, what you don’t know is how I spent my last week. 

It’s been a week since I’ve made my unexpected journey back to the United States. Besides being an unexpectedly early departure date, my feelings and my welcome home were much, much different than I ever expected them to be when I imagined them at the beginning of the semester.

If you’re on the fence about studying abroad, or if you’re sure you want to and not sure where to go, or even if you’ve already decided where to study abroad, here’s why to change your mind and go to Cape Town—even in a nifty little 10 Reasons Why!

We were sitting on the bus when we got the news. I’m sure everyone is sick of this by now, sick of hearing only about one thing, and I know I’m tired of thinking about it. So this blog post won’t mention that-which-will-not-be-named. Let’s just say, for unspecified reasons, our program was canceled, Ecuador had declared a state of emergency, and we were given 24 hours to leave the country or risk being trapped for months. It was a dramatic bus ride.

From 4am to 9am on Friday the 13th, I sat on the floor of Madrid Barajas Airport on the phone with various airline customer service representatives searching for a new flight, answers to my questions, and some sense of security and control. Just hours before I was supposed to take off, one leg of my flight was canceled. A few days before that, Trump announced that there would be increased travel restrictions, and nobody knew exactly what that meant.

(Note** Due to the length of this story, this post will be divided into two parts. You probably gathered that from the title, but thought I’d reiterate.)

Gather around, children. I have a story for you.

Last we talked, if you recall, I told you of my idyllic everyday – the lullaby of tropical surf, a routine of birds, beach, and batidos. Life on the Galapagos was chugging along at a steady, comfortable pace, leaving deep footprints in dark sand.

Grocery shopping in a foreign country can be intimidating. Everything looks different, things are located in unusual places, and the labels are in a language you don't yet understand. But don't worry, grocery shopping in Freiburg isn't as scary as it seems. Here's how I make grocery shopping simple.

Know what to look for BEFORE you get to the store!