I’ve always loved creating playlists for when I’m traveling. Whether they’re made weeks in advance or when I’m sitting at my departure gate, picking out music helps me get excited and into a creative headspace for wherever I’m about to be. Oftentimes, making playlists distracts me from nerves or homesickness. Favorite songs remind me of home, and when I hear a new song I like, I always remember the situation surrounding when I first heard it: the people I was with, where I was, and how I was feeling.

I think the hardest part of being abroad is feeling guilty for wanting to go home in the last month, and then actually taking the steps to go home; packing and saying goodbye, to name a few.  

I’m going to be completely honest; I have absolutely loved my semester in New Zealand.  This has, by far, been the best semester of my college experience.  I procrastinated packing my things in the days leading up to my flight home, because I did not want to admit that I was leaving.

This past weekend, IES Abroad organized an optional weekend trip to Huangshan for both my Summer Internship program and the IES Abroad Summer Engineering program. My program had our last day of back-to-back Chinese classes on Thursday and departed from our apartments early Friday morning to make the six-hour drive to Anhui. Most of us were tired from having class all week and slept for the majority of the bus ride.

Back again, with some bigger ups and downs on the rollercoaster of life! I can very truthfully say I would have never imagined spending my 21st birthday weekend the way that I have.

Are you the person that craves that adrenaline rush when your stomach flips at the very top of a roller coaster? Do you love the fight-or-flight response that's triggered from some bumpy, white-water rafting? For those of you searching for the perfect adventurous vacation, look no further than Pucón, Chile. This touristy, but somewhat hidden city in the south of Chile has everything from hiking beautiful volcanoes to horseback riding to the gorgeous hot springs and waterfalls. 

Travelling to Spain, where jamón hangs from the walls of restaurants and seafood or meat paella is wildly popular, people have continuously asked me how I would sustain a vegan diet while living in Madrid for six weeks. The truth? It has been almost too easy.

The past two weeks have been blessings filled with memorable experiences.

I think I got the perfect internship.