My entire life, I have been sheltered, not going anywhere without another human being except, work, school, appointments and the occasional honor band in High School. This weekend, I found myself in Paris, a city I enjoyed a lot. Prior to the weekend get-away, I was haunted by nerve-wracking anxiety of pick-pockets, getting lost without internet connection and the Coronavirus. This trip helped me realize that I have a harder shell than I thought.

Worried about not staying busy while abroad? Or scared that you will be lonely abroad? That is okay, because as someone who likes to keep busy, I know how to stay busy. Here are 7 tips I have found to help me when I have felt bored abroad that are applicable anywhere:

1. Participate In IES Abroad Activities

A perfect weekend in Nice involves beautiful water, good food and fun people to spend it with. Three days in Nice is the perfect amount of time to soak up the glamour of the French Riveria without breaking the bank. Hopefully, after following this itinerary you will love the Côte d’Azur as much as me. 

Day 1 

Highlights: Promenade d’Anglais, Castle Hill, and Old Nice

Just a few hours ago, my fellow writers and I returned from the Writers' Retreat, a four-day getaway to a surprise location that I've since sworn to keep secret. Without revealing too many details, our accommodation was set at one of the most picturesque, awe-inspiring, breathtaking places I have ever stayed. The day we arrived, our accompanying instructor gathered us together and said, "This is a place you can lose yourself. You can leave things behind that you no longer need."

It's a beautiful thought.

Dear Freiburg, you are the first true city I have ever lived in, and you have set the bar very high. It has only been a week and I am already feeling quite comfortable here. Although, that might just have something to do with my recent trip to IKEA where I bought some very cozy blankets…but I suspect there is more to it than that. I have noticed several changes in myself since arriving in the city. First and foremost, I think I am addicted to the public transportation here?

With pedestrians bustling, passing cars swooshing, and towering high-rises glazed with summer sun, Buenos Aires is a breathing organism. The metropolis’s plentiful sites complement its culture. Art museums house a diverse array of European and Latin-American pieces, reflecting the culture’s rich intersection.

I’ve been in Morocco for a little over a month now and I am finally feeling adjusted to my new home. Here's the deal -- I came to Morocco knowing absolutely no French and no Arabic, two of the languages that are widely spoken in Morocco. This language barrier was incredibly challenging in the beginning but I've learned how to communicate through it.

Amidst all the craziness that happened towards the end of my time in Morocco, I was feeling stressed and overwhelmed. It was hard not to - our student group chats were going off every day with updates on the coronavirus. News about coronavirus was constantly changing and evolving. Uncertainty swirled around us. My host family watched the news every day, and every day I heard how many cases of COVID-19 were in Morocco (at the time, there were very few).

On a narrow street tucked behind the piazza Italians sing and dance and joy flies about. Siena, signature in its tranquility, is having a contrada moment, as one of the city’s 17 towns – they’re families, more so – hosts a dinner for local and international students, the pride of la Civetta (the Owl contrada) written in wide smiles and deep-dive helpings of polenta.