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!
We thought it was going to be a boring history field trip. When IES Abroad told us we were going on a study journey to Tarragona, we imagined hours and hours of sightseeing under a burning sun with people we did not really know.
A little background:
“These are going to best days of your life."
“Make sure you make the most of this time."
“Don’t take any of these moments for granted.”
“Soon you’ll be home, wishing that you never left.”
I think island time is getting to me, it’s taken me almost three weeks to write this post since setting foot on San Cristóbal. With a population of ~5000 here in the town of Puerto Baquerizo things work a little differently than back on the mainland in Quito. Nothing in the town itself is more than 15 minutes away from anything else by bike, and my official address is simply “House of Martha Morales”. When my host family called a taxi (all of which are white pickup trucks) on my first day Martha simply said, “To the house,” and he took us home.
Just three days after getting back from Tiputini we all met again at 4:30 in the morning to take a bus to Bellavista, a reserve in the high Andean cloud forests west of Quito. This trip was more reasonable than the last. We only traveled two hours, first on the highway then up a long dirt road up to an eco-lodge hanging off the side of a mountain.
Current mood:
Take me back.
My last few weeks in Cape Town were jam-packed with fun activities and adventures. I was in a rush to complete as many items as I could off of my bucket list!
Some items on my list (that are pictured below) included...
I came to Italy with very few expectations. I knew that there would be great food, friendly people and nice scenery, but I decided that for just once, I would jump into things without completely knowing what I was doing. I am usually the person who will watch videos, read articles and look at pictures before visiting a city, yet I did none of that when moving to Milano for the fall.
And surprisingly enough, that is what has made my experience great so far.
Packing for my first study abroad experience was definitely overwhelming. Hours of YouTube videos ran in the background while I stuffed clothes into two large suitcases. I was hoping to obtain a comically large suitcase, the type that could fit a full person inside of it.
Before studying abroad I had never heard of a travel backpack. All I could think of was a backpacking pack that hikers use. I hoped I wouldn’t have to lug one of those through the streets of Rabat, mostly because it would be heavy and ruin the aesthetic.
If you’re anything like me, chances are you’re spending your last days stateside doing what I call the Great American Binge. Going to all your favorite restaurants, having your family make all your favorite meals, and trying to hang out with all your friends before its time to board your flight abroad. Also, you’re probably thinking about how will you conquer the language barrier, how will you get around and make new friends.