Holiday Availability: All IES Abroad offices will be closed on Dec 24, Dec 25, Dec 31, and Jan 1 as we take some time to celebrate. During the weeks of 12/22 and 12/29, our team will be smaller, so responses may take longer than usual. Thanks for your understanding—and happy holidays!
Although the first month here in Spain has yet to end, as I sit here on the corner cafe of Calle Nunez de Balboa, I cannot help but to marvel at what's been going on, and the pace of events - which has basically been to arrive in Madrid after an 8-hour flight and hit the ground running. Breaks? Pausing to catch your breath? Taking it easy? Staying in? Haven't heard of her.
It’s hard to explain to someone else what it feels like to be abroad. I’m constantly in awe of the space around me. Sucked into these new cultures but somehow simultaneously overstimulated to the point where I can barely tell you what I do every day. I’ve been here for over a month now, and while some of the novelty of the city has begun to ware off I find myself still so taken by the city and it’s people.
I have been in Barcelona for three weeks and it has been a life changing experience. My experience has been unbelievable, and I am absolutely in love with Barcelona. The wonderful food, amazing people, and all encompassing beauty that is radiates through the city has exceeded any expectation that I had.
やほー!
Study Abroad is filled with opportunities for adventure, excitement, and exploration. I love showing my friends and family pictures of all the cool places in Japan I go. A lot of my best exploration and travel happens on the weekends, when I don’t have class. During the week, most students are too busy with homework, studying, clubs, and the daily commute to and from school.
Three weeks into studying abroad and I can’t believe the number of beautiful places I’ve traveled to already!
When most people think of studying abroad in Europe, they envision living and taking classes in a city during the week, then jetting off to another country for the weekend. I am sure that I will be guilty of that at least a few times during this semester. However, I decided that instead of exploring Paris or Barcelona this weekend, I would go on the IES Abroad trip to Parma.
Parma is a city about 1 ½ hours south of Milano. It is much quieter than Milano, but still has a rich culture and cuisine that we spent several days exploring.
History books might prepare you academically but they cannot prepare you emotionally. My history book didn't tell me that goosebumps would form on my arms as I read through the tribulations of fighters at the Warsaw Rising Museum or that I would feel my steps get heavy as I walked through the Stasi prison in Berlin. This is exactly what happened as my IES Abroad EU cohort made our way through Berlin and Warsaw. I loved every second of my time in both places.
Well, it's certainly been a while.
I live in New York and go to American University in Washington, D.C.. I study Film and Media Arts with a minor in Entrepreneurship. I enjoy photographing, making art, being around art and those who are equally creative and inspiring.
My first days in Milan have been a whirlwind of orientation programs, Italian classes, attempting to find the best cappuccino, and trying to get accustomed to a brand-new city, language, and culture.