Holiday Availability: All IES Abroad offices will be closed on Dec 24, Dec 25, Dec 31, and Jan 1 as we take some time to celebrate. During the weeks of 12/22 and 12/29, our team will be smaller, so responses may take longer than usual. Thanks for your understanding—and happy holidays!
A few weeks ago I wanted to take a trip to Kyoto the city famous for cherry blossoms, but my regular travel buddy was unable to walk long distances because of pain in her foot. My other friends weren’t keen on the idea of getting up at 4:30AM to try to beat some of the crowds and see as much as possible in a day. I was torn between rescheduling my trip for my friends, which meant missing the cherry blossoms or going on my own. Of course, I was hesitant.
I saw the sign.
Navigating homestay relations while on study abroad is a difficult task. While I am not staying long enough to be treated as another familial member, I am also expected to have more responsibilities than a passing guest.
15 more days left of this dream semester. I am at a loss for words honestly. I am actually kind sad sitting down to write this, but enthusiastic and sure of the fact that I will return here one day to live and work. I can't imagine my future without Italy in it. Here are just a few reasons why Milano has become my home:
My exams are over, my papers turned in, and with just one more week to go in the greatest city in the world, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on my time here. One of the things that excited me most about studying abroad back in January was travelling. Everybody I talked to advised me to take advantage of my time in Europe by visiting as many places as I possibly could.
There's no exact answer to that question. The students on our program represent colleges and states across the U.S. and, I'm convinced, every major imaginable. Whatever your academic or personal interests are, I hope these quick introductions to some current IES Abroad Cape Town students help you recognize yourself & see what's possible living in South Africa!
How and why did Spanish become my second language of choice?
Long story short, I grew up in a small town outside of Philadelphia known as the Mushroom Capital of the World for its mushroom production. Many of the employees of the mushroom farms are immigrants from Mexico who come to America seeking the American Dream, fair wages, and quality education for their children. In fact, the majority population of my tiny town is actually Mexican.
My friend Madi and I got invited to a barbeque at our friend Xavier’s house in Eze, about a 15 minute drive from Nice. I was really excited, imagining the kind of food at an American barbeque: hot dogs, hamburgers, watermelon, coleslaw, potato salad, chips, beer, etc. This was absolutely nothing like that. Firstly, the culture around the invitation itself was different.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges of living abroad is one that no one really warns you about: going to the grocery store by yourself. Monoprix seemed harmless enough, with its fresh market and wide selection of miscellaneous groceries and other items like clothing. It seemed homey, almost, like a mixture of Kroger and Target. When I walked inside, however, I was nothing but overwhelmed.
