Traveling abroad can be so exciting! In Europe, travel between countries is very simple and cheap, relatively speaking. Between cheap airlines and the high-speed rail that covers much of Europe, you’ll see that a lot of people who study abroad decide to take weekend trips to cities and countries near where they’re studying. However, realistically speaking, not everyone has the opportunity to do that due to money or other reasons.

Stand here with me in a darkened and infinite, subterranean and concrete room with an automatic door, illuminated by the faces of those who went missing in the '70s and '80s under Pinochet's dictatorship.

9/11.

Every American and Chilean knows this number. In the US, the date signifies when the twin towers fell in 2001. For Chile, it was the day that democracy in the nation died. 

On May 31 I turned 21 years old. For young adults in the United States, this marks the end of being legally too young to enter clubs, buy alcohol, and smoke (in some states)─it marks true freedom. Unlike at home, it’s just another birthday here in Argentina…which doesn’t mean much, considering that Argentines love to celebrate.

Salamanca was suitably named the Golden City due to its beautiful, hand-crafted buildings made of sandstone. The palaces, cathedrals, and university buildings that make up Salamanca become more golden the more they age. When walking through the streets of Salamanca, beauty can be seen in every direction. From the side streets to the Plaza Mayor, this photogenic city never ceases to impress. There is history and modernity all over the city.

In one of my IES Abroad courses, 20th Century Argentine Poetry, we had the opportunity to write a poem and perform it at the IES Abroad 2019 Symposium. Two of my friends and I were inspired to create a poem in the same style as "Shinto" by Jorge Luis Borges. Shinto is a Japanese religion where they worship Kamis, which are gods that are the spirits of each and every object and action. Everything has a spirit in the Shinto religion, from the colors of a map to the smell of a library.

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be an IES Abroad Correspondent this summer. I am doing the Tradition & Cuisine in Tuscany program in Siena this summer! It will be my first time in Italy and my first time learning Italian. Why did I choose Siena? I chose Siena because I wanted to avoid more crowded and touristy cities and study abroad in a place that would allow me to have a truly authentic Italian experience.

When studying abroad and enjoying all of the amazing new things that are coming your way, it can be quite easy to forget about taking care of your mental health. You’re in a new place with new people, possibly speaking a different language. This is stressful even if you don’t feel stressed out.

Having never left this country before, packing to travel all the way to South Africa started out as an undoubtedly stressful task. I've never been on a flight longer than four hours, and other than college, I've never been away from home for more than a week. My program in Cape Town, South Africa is seven weeks long, and the journey there will consist of three separate flights, totaling over 25 hours of travel time. Though I am fairly prepared now, I can still think back on how stressed those numbers made me back when it all started.

“Buenos días, doctora.” Good morning, doctor. The first couple times I heard it, I assumed it was addressed to one of the many doctors bustling through the hallways of Hospital Sótero del Río. After several weeks, I continued to hear it—walking through swinging doors unaccompanied or on my way out of a unit. “Chao, doctora, que esté bien.” Goodbye, doctor, take care. It was directed at me, I realized, suddenly conscious of the white coat the program required that I wear during my weekly clinical observation in Sótero.

So you've decided to study abroad. It's fall of your junior year, and you're gearing up for your spring semester away. Summer seems too far off to think about, and so you put off your internship search until spring, assuming you'll have time while you're away to figure it out.

If this sounds like you, read on.