1) Don’t go to the Amazon Rainforest. The easiest way to avoid even seeing spiders (let alone sloths, piranhas, poison dart frogs, rad birds that look like dinosaurs, and like ten different types of monkey) is to give one of the most biodiverse regions of the world a wide berth. If you don’t want to pick up a spider the wrong way, definitely make sure you don’t go to the Amazon! 

My first somewhat independent adventure, and I feel like I’m on an episode of the Amazing Race! To be quite honest, I think it has been easier landing in Amsterdam than Paris. English helps a lot. I successfully managed to take the bus to my hostel, and I saved myself a lot of money by not taking an Uber or taxi. I still can’t believe that I bought my own ticket and navigated a new country by myself. Definitely a bucket list experience. On the bus ride I got a glimpse of the pretty houses along the river. I can’t wait to explore more!

こんにちは!

The number of things to do and places to see in Tokyo is limitless. There are shops, shrines, temples, museums, cafes, etc. Once in a while, it’s nice to experience something a little different though. There’s so much in Japan to see outside of Tokyo, and I want to see as much of Japan as I can. That’s why at the end of September, I spent the weekend in Yokohama.

    I’ve found myself at a movie theater near the center of Amsterdam twice recently. I always get very into going to movies with my mom when I’m home for the summer. Usually I can’t follow through on all the trailers I planned on seeing that upcoming fall because of school stress but I’m happy to say that that hasn’t happened yet here. It’s a nice, familiar pocket to visit.

As my semester in New Zealand is coming to a close I have been spending some time reflecting on the experiences and feelings I have had along the way.

Following an adjustment period of about a week and a half, Paris became my home, or at least my European home. Between occasional weekend excursions to neighboring countries, Paris is my home base, where I feel most comfortable and where I can unwind.

So, when it came time to break out of France and travel to Dublin after three weeks in Paris, it surprised me how I got somewhat homesick, but not for Home in Seattle. I was homesick for Paris. 

The more time I spend in Vienna, the more I start to feel at home. The Austrian culture is starting to feel normal to me and not as foriegn as it once was. This weekend IES Abroad took some students on a field trip to Steiermark, which is one of the regions of Austria. Some advice I have for future students, travel often and when IES Abroad offers their field trips, jump on board! These trips have so much history and they provide more activies that most students would not think of on their own. 

I was most excited to visit Normandy. I think the history is very interesting and my neighbor landed on Utah Beach during WWII. We started our two day excursion with a stop at Memorial de Caen Museum. The museum started with the history of WWI and then it literally spiraled downstairs into more exhibits about how it led WWII. We had audio guides, so I was learning a lot. I didn’t realize the role of the Roaring Twenties and how it contributed to the economic downfall of Germany.

Barcelona! I’ve arrived, and so far so good! The taxi ride from the airport to my home was smooth, and when I got to the house my roommate and host mom welcomed me with a hug. I’m rooming with a friend with college, and she speaks fluent Spanish, so it’s been really helpful! Not only do I get to practice with my host mom every night on my Spanish but also with my roommate.