Landing in Iceland for my layover, I stumbled around the airport, interpreting the signs written in Icelandic, reminding me I wasn't in Michigan. I became acutely aware of my foreign situation and my body was tensing up. Already anxious about catching my layover, I scrambled in whatever direction made sense. I breathed deeply reminding myself that by studying abroad I had asked the universe for these moments of stress and confusion, and there were going to be many more along the way.

I needed to embrace my fear!

Coming to another country, you expect there to be cultural differences, and there are. Even in Ireland, a largely Western and English-speaking country, there are little things. From the moment you walk into the airport, there are different snacks in the vending machines, a Gaelic language printed underneath English on all the signs, people driving on the other side of the road, and all sorts of small things. (My favorite difference that I’ve noticed thus far is, after a concert ended, the crowd began chanting “One more tune!

I arrived in Italy a little over two weeks ago, and as ludicrous as it sounds, I am already yearning for more time here (and considering the logistics of moving abroad permanently). The ten day point marked the longest period of time I have spent in Europe, and the realization that I am more student and resident than tourist has begun to resonate.

Buenas from Granada!

With the challenge of matching 120 new names to faces and finding the confidence to start actually using Spanish in everyday life, orientation week has definitely been an adventure. Besides orienting ourselves with each other, with our host families, and with our new city, one of the biggest adjustments has been orienting ourselves to Spain’s unique daily schedule.

“We are torn between nostalgia for the familiar and an urge for the foreign and strange.”

-Carson McCullers

For those of us who have been exploring the world since early January it has started to reach the point where the days are now moving a little slower and life isn’t quite as exciting as Day 1. Don’t get me wrong, we’re still enjoying ourselves! But the longing for friends and family and the comfort of our own beds is becoming a little more real.

The decision to live and study an ocean away from everything that you know for a whole semester may seem like one that would take ages to decide. However, I have known in my heart that this was what I was going to do even before I wrote my first college application or stepped foot on my college campus. But before I board the plane that will take me into my spring 2019 semester abroad, let me introduce myself. My name is Rebecca Vernachio, but I usually go by Becky.

Hallo! As you can see by my use of hello in German, I am finally in Freiburg! In fact, I have been in this beautiful city for approximately three weeks! I have been so busy with orientation and classes that I was not able to write a second post until now. So far, I have been enjoying my new home!

The food here is insane and I’ve already been eating SO MUCH. I’ve learned how important meals are in the Spanish culture – dinner is a time for everyone to sit down and recap the day. At home, I tend to grab food on the run, but dinner is a very planned-out event here.

Hi everyone,

This post is more of a reflection about my time in Japan thus far. I have been in Japan almost a month now. *Insert shocked Pikachu meme*