There’s one thing that the millennial generation can often unanimously agree on: our fingers are glued to our phones. It’s entirely apparent that today, the world is based around technology. This of course has its positives, but it also comes with an abundance of negatives.

Context: When I first arrived in Spain, I chose to not purchase a SIM card and it was the best decision I have made by far.

Being an American in France looks different for just about everyone.

It's three weeks into the semester at the University of Auckland, and I have started to become active in clubs and activities on campus. I play field hockey for the University of Rochester, so coming to New Zealand I knew I wanted to get involved in club field hockey here. There was also a club fair the first week of classes where I signed up for the underwater club and the tramping club, which is the hiking club. Through joining and getting involved, I’m also getting immersed in New Zealand slang.

Milan hasn’t been the warmest in the slightest, so when my friends and I saw that the weather was going to higher than 65 degrees, we hopped on the first train to Lake Como. I guess everyone else had the same idea because it was packed! We got there around 11 a.m. and immediately went to L’ora Della Pasta, the highest-rated pasta restaurant in Como. I couldn’t help but get cacio e pepe ravioli with pesto (my favorite). It was so good and really inexpensive! Next, we headed straight to the water.

We can’t forget the ‘study’ part of ‘study abroad!’

Playlists. Algorithms. The capital-p Power of Musak-ing.

Granada is a city that attracts a special kind of people. People here are looking to become immersed in culture, language, food, art, and so much more that this wonderful city has to offer. If you’ve been following my time here, then you’ve heard a little about what I’ve been doing. I figured the way to best paint this study abroad experience in full, however, is via the people who are living it with me. I interviewed five students about their time in Granada so far. Here is what they had to say.

In an unknown world of transportation, food, language, and places, it is helpful to have a few apps and websites to guide you along the way. Before I left, I downloaded a plethora of apps, some unused and others which enhanced my experience. Here is a list of the apps and websites I actually used to organize, discover, and understand during my time abroad. 

Travel:

Kia Ora!! As midterms are coming around, I have been studying a lot at the University of Canterbury. Although there is not much of a culture shock when going to New Zealand, classes are slightly different than the way in which classes work in the U.S. One of the biggest differences, which I find very helpful, is that almost all of the classes here at UC are recorded. This is very benefical for us exchange students, because it allows us to travel around New Zealand without having to miss out on your classes or get behind.

I met a lot of really great people through my study abroad program. Study abroad programs attract like-minded adventurous individuals who enjoy getting out of their comfort zone and experiencing new cultures, food, and chaos. It is very easy to find people in the program to travel with on weekend excursions. I planned a weekend trip to Prague with five other students. One of the best decisions I have made for studying abroad is downloading Venmo.