Part of the fun of starting fresh in a completely new city, program, and environment is that it’s a departure from the norm. I chose to go abroad for the purpose of newness on every level. But with newness comes change, and with change comes anxieties. I'm flying to Amsterdam tomorrow, and in order to cope with this transition, I've thought of some things I’m excited for, and things I'm anxious about.

Excited About Meeting New People

For the next five months, I will be studying abroad in Christchurch, New Zealand! With all the excitement of traveling to such an exciting place over a long period, also comes a lot of stress. I have just begun packing, which has most certainly been the most difficult task yet! New Zealand is sort of tricky because when packing you should prepare for all seasons when traveling there. So, with that being said, there is a lot of unknown on what right to pack and what is wrong.

“Sit down and be quiet.” A man in a dignified suit, crimson tie, and round wire glasses greeted me brusquely at the door of the Chilean consulate in Boston. As he hurried back into the office down the hall, I sat and took in my surroundings. Ahead, a stacked washer-dryer announced, “Consulate of Chile. Law Offices.” (Apologies for the blurry picture… it was taken quickly after being admonished the first time). The Chilean seal sat proudly between a wicker laundry basket and an exposed pipe in the ceiling.

        It’s said that the best way to get to know a city is by walking through it. Whether you are aimlessly strolling the streets or are navigating your way to a highly rated café, the best way to travel is to hit the pavement with your best foot forward. I toured the streets a few times and each time I got a new perspective of Vienna.

Hello! My name is Hope Yi and I am a sophomore from Emory University studying International Studies and Global Health. Here is a glimpse of what I am bringing with me for my semester abroad in Rome, Italy.

The first week of your study abroad experience may seem frightening, but IES Abroad has great activities set up for you to settle into your new lifestyle. Here’s how my first week went.

(Confession- this isn’t exactly a “predeparture” post considering I’m already in Amsterdam. But the week-before-a-new-semester-of-school theme still stands.)

As I have not uploaded many photographs from my travels to my other blog posts, I would just like to take this time (and semi-strong wifi) to share a burst of photos from Ecuador! Although I have been spending a significant amount of time with my host family since we get along so well, I have also had the opportunity to travel to a number of exciting locations. IES Abroad Quito does not offer Friday classes, so the program is perfect for traveling to cities, the beach or national parks over the 3-day weekends! 

¡Buenas tardes a todos!

To answer everyone’s first question: Yes, these things are all truly and completely FREE!

Are you taking a short weekend trip to Barcelona? Looking for the best places to bring your friends who are visiting? Trying to find fun things to do without breaking the bank? If your answer to any of these questions is YES then you’ve come to the right place! After exploring the beautiful city of Barcelona for almost three weeks my best recommendations for free things to do are listed below!