Current mood:

Take me back.

My last few weeks in Cape Town were jam-packed with fun activities and adventures. I was in a rush to complete as many items as I could off of my bucket list!

Some items on my list (that are pictured below) included...

I came to Italy with very few expectations. I knew that there would be great food, friendly people and nice scenery, but I decided that for just once, I would jump into things without completely knowing what I was doing. I am usually the person who will watch videos, read articles and look at pictures before visiting a city, yet I did none of that when moving to Milano for the fall.

And surprisingly enough, that is what has made my experience great so far.

Packing for my first study abroad experience was definitely overwhelming. Hours of YouTube videos ran in the background while I stuffed clothes into two large suitcases. I was hoping to obtain a comically large suitcase, the type that could fit a full person inside of it.

Before studying abroad I had never heard of a travel backpack. All I could think of was a backpacking pack that hikers use. I hoped I wouldn’t have to lug one of those through the streets of Rabat, mostly because it would be heavy and ruin the aesthetic.

If you’re anything like me, chances are you’re spending your last days stateside doing what I call the Great American Binge. Going to all your favorite restaurants, having your family make all your favorite meals, and trying to hang out with all your friends before its time to board your flight abroad. Also, you’re probably thinking about how will you conquer the language barrier, how will you get around and make new friends.

As I reflect on my summer internship abroad, mixed feelings and emotions cloud my thoughts…

Yesterday, I sat in the kitchen with my host family eating paella, a traditional Spanish dish, while listening to the sound of la lluvia. And I started to tear up. It was an odd moment for me; I could not understand why I wanted to cry because nothing physically happened that made me feel sad, I was just eating my comida!

As August came to a close, the University of Canterbury officially hit the halfway mark for Semester 2 and the midterm break began! For two weeks I willed myself to forget about school work and try to focus on the moment and thoroughly enjoy the “now”. I really pushed myself to not get preoccupied with thoughts of assignments and tests that I have for the remainder of the semester or the random moments of homesickness that I would feel throughout the break.

Hallo Alle!

By the time you read this, I will have spent a week and a half in Freiburg! Let me tell you, if you weren't excited enough before coming, you sure as heck are gonna be STOKED! I'll sure tell you this though, your flight will definitely be one of your longest flights. Not because the direct flight from Atlanta was only 9 hours, the intensive selection of movies, or because you might have a nice comfy seat, but rather, you'll be too excited to even sleep! 

Before writing this blog post, I stopped and read some other IES Abroad student blog posts to see what was happening in their worlds. There are some really beautiful blogs and adventurous students out there with some amazing tips and stories. However, I did not see anything that was similar to the post that I felt led to write: The Brutal Honest Truth of Landing in Europe Alone. The story of actually getting here.