Identity is such an interesting concept because not only is it defined differently for everyone, but it influences the ways of life for many people, if not all. Generally speaking, identity is defined as the fact of being who or what a person or thing is. Identity is important for some regarding religion, race, sexuality, ethnicity, nationality, class, and many other aspects of life. Such categories related to identity are important for people because it enables them to navigate life more effectively.

My friends at home and I have a ritual we do after we’ve spent the day hanging out, where we’ll ask each other our gratitudes for the day. We’ll go around saying what we’re thankful for that day, with answers ranging from the silly to very heartfelt. I like this little pause in the day to reflect on what makes me happy, even if it is a little cheesy. This practice of reflecting on the positives is something I’ve tried to implement into my daily routine while abroad.

As the title of this post suggests, we didn't spend that much time in Sofia; nonetheless, I enjoyed the time we spent in the city.

This was my second time visiting Athens, but considering that I had previously only spent one day in Athens, I got to see a side of the city that I didn't get to see last time.

I knew right away that I wanted to study abroad in Italy, but choosing the specific city was a bit difficult for me. Should I choose Rome, the center of all things culture and history? Or perhaps a more modern city such as Milan? In the end, I am so happy I chose the small, charming, historic city of Siena, and I would recommend studying abroad in Siena to anyone who will listen. Here’s why.

A few weekends ago, I was able to take a trip up to one of New Zealand’s 10 great walks. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is said to be one of the most beautiful day hikes in the world. This hike lived up to its expectations.

I recently spent the weekend in Hangzhou. Hangzhou is known for its lovely lake, called West Lake. We took a boat ride on the lake, and one of the viewpoints from the ride is the same image that is on the back of the Chinese one-dollar bill! Such a cool experience to see the origins of such a prominent picture. Hangzhou is very much a tourist city and some parts of the city had the feel of a town where people buy their second home, very high-end and classy. Everything was beautiful. My friends and I went to the Lingyin Temple while there.

The average day of classes in Dublin begins when my alarm goes off at 7:30 in the morning, (2:30 Eastern Standard Time) conveniently accompanied by the rising sun. Where I am housed, in Binary Hub, I’m lucky enough to have an East-facing window, which means that mornings involve a lot of squinting and rushing to shut the curtains before I change, but I am also afforded a lot of natural light.

There are so many reasons to study abroad. There are even more reasons to study abroad in Granada. Here are the things that I love about Granada:

The coffee

As a part of the IES Abroad program, during our spring break, an opportunity for a getaway vacation was graciously given to us. Naturally and thankfully, this just meant traveling from one tropical island to several other tropical islands. Throughout this week, I was able to visit the islands of Floreana, Isabela, and Santa Cruz. It was fascinating to observe the subtle yet distinctive differences between these islands, since that is really what makes them so intriguing to humans in the first place.