This past Saturday, my roommate and a few friends went to the Naschmarkt and the flea market. While I usually forget to check the weather, my roommate had the right idea to check. It was going to be freezing with a chance of rain. I don’t mind cold weather, but the markets are outdoors. Normally, I would use that weather condition to have a relaxed day in a café or museum. That, or I would just forgo leaving the house entirely. But, it was too late to change course.

A week and a half ago, I took a flight to Madrid. I’m studying in Rabat this spring semester, but I had decided to drift around Spanish cities for a week or so before taking the ferry over to Morocco.

As I awaited my flight from Chicago to Madrid I began to feel that I had conquered a month of cold and snow. What would await me would be warm days with sun that I could endlessly enjoy for the next semester. However, that was not quite the case.

Part of the fun of starting fresh in a completely new city, program, and environment is that it’s a departure from the norm. I chose to go abroad for the purpose of newness on every level. But with newness comes change, and with change comes anxieties. I'm flying to Amsterdam tomorrow, and in order to cope with this transition, I've thought of some things I’m excited for, and things I'm anxious about.

Excited About Meeting New People

For the next five months, I will be studying abroad in Christchurch, New Zealand! With all the excitement of traveling to such an exciting place over a long period, also comes a lot of stress. I have just begun packing, which has most certainly been the most difficult task yet! New Zealand is sort of tricky because when packing you should prepare for all seasons when traveling there. So, with that being said, there is a lot of unknown on what right to pack and what is wrong.

“Sit down and be quiet.” A man in a dignified suit, crimson tie, and round wire glasses greeted me brusquely at the door of the Chilean consulate in Boston. As he hurried back into the office down the hall, I sat and took in my surroundings. Ahead, a stacked washer-dryer announced, “Consulate of Chile. Law Offices.” (Apologies for the blurry picture… it was taken quickly after being admonished the first time). The Chilean seal sat proudly between a wicker laundry basket and an exposed pipe in the ceiling.

        It’s said that the best way to get to know a city is by walking through it. Whether you are aimlessly strolling the streets or are navigating your way to a highly rated café, the best way to travel is to hit the pavement with your best foot forward. I toured the streets a few times and each time I got a new perspective of Vienna.

Hello! My name is Hope Yi and I am a sophomore from Emory University studying International Studies and Global Health. Here is a glimpse of what I am bringing with me for my semester abroad in Rome, Italy.

The first week of your study abroad experience may seem frightening, but IES Abroad has great activities set up for you to settle into your new lifestyle. Here’s how my first week went.