As I reflect on my summer internship abroad, mixed feelings and emotions cloud my thoughts…

Yesterday, I sat in the kitchen with my host family eating paella, a traditional Spanish dish, while listening to the sound of la lluvia. And I started to tear up. It was an odd moment for me; I could not understand why I wanted to cry because nothing physically happened that made me feel sad, I was just eating my comida!

As August came to a close, the University of Canterbury officially hit the halfway mark for Semester 2 and the midterm break began! For two weeks I willed myself to forget about school work and try to focus on the moment and thoroughly enjoy the “now”. I really pushed myself to not get preoccupied with thoughts of assignments and tests that I have for the remainder of the semester or the random moments of homesickness that I would feel throughout the break.

Hallo Alle!

By the time you read this, I will have spent a week and a half in Freiburg! Let me tell you, if you weren't excited enough before coming, you sure as heck are gonna be STOKED! I'll sure tell you this though, your flight will definitely be one of your longest flights. Not because the direct flight from Atlanta was only 9 hours, the intensive selection of movies, or because you might have a nice comfy seat, but rather, you'll be too excited to even sleep! 

Before writing this blog post, I stopped and read some other IES Abroad student blog posts to see what was happening in their worlds. There are some really beautiful blogs and adventurous students out there with some amazing tips and stories. However, I did not see anything that was similar to the post that I felt led to write: The Brutal Honest Truth of Landing in Europe Alone. The story of actually getting here.

Bonjour! 

I have taken six years of French, and I’ve never been to France, or Europe for that matter. The only international travel experience I am currently equipped with is a highly supervised service trip to the Dominican Republic I participated in over three years ago. As much as I loved it, I’m searching for something a little different when I arrive in Paris. 

The past week has been filled with jet lag, orientations, and learning directions around this new city.  However, even amidst the transition, I have enjoyed exploring the beautiful city of Freiburg.  A quick hop on the tram, and one can go anywhere they wish.  Here is a glimpse of my experience in traveling to the region and a few glances at this marvelous town which is tucked away at the foot of the Black Forest.  Below you will see shots taken from the older portion of town (Alstadt) during the busy time known as the daily mark

The most random thing happened this past weekend. Here’s how it all started…