Hi! My name is Lexi Kelley and I’m a junior at Lafayette College. I’m pursuing a Bachelors of Arts in International Affairs with a minor in Mandarin Chinese and I’ll be studying in Shanghai this semester through the Shanghai - Economy, Business & Society - Spring 2018 program! I just received my housing assignment and I will be living in an apartment with three other roommates.

“Ambitious” is a positive term in the United States. It means you take what you want, you aren’t afraid, and you welcome new experiences. I think a lot of people strive to be ambitious and courageous, but let’s be honest, it’s kind of terrifying.

Without a doubt, one of the best things about studying abroad is forming new friendships that continue long after the program end date. In my personal experience, I’ve found that making close, meaningful relationships with friends abroad occurs on a seemingly accelerated timeline. Quite possibly this is due to a raw sense of vulnerability that seems to be associated with making connections in a foreign environment.

In primary and secondary school, I learned about the Berlin Wall. I learned about the atrocities of the World Wars, the violation of human rights by various government regimes, and even the internment of Japanese-Americans in my own nation. What I never learned about - even though a violent, devastating period that received international attention - were The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

On my first day of class here at IES Abroad London, I was instructed to go outside and eavesdrop. The class was Playwriting Workshop, and the task was as follows: we had exactly 20 minutes to find some people having a conversation. They could be in a coffee shop, or at a bus stop, or on a park bench—these could be any people having any conversation. All we had to do was identify our targets and, quietly and discretely, write down at least six lines of their dialogue. We would then return to the classroom and read those lines aloud.

While studying abroad, living with a family is often the most common option, and for many good reasons. Doing a homestay is a surefire way to get comfortable with the language, culture, and food of your host country, and it’s always nice to have host parents or siblings to talk to at the end of the day. For my semester in Salamanca, however, I chose to live in a residence hall.

I was hesitant about Granada specifically, Spain as a country, and Europe all together.

I like to think that I am adventurous. That I’m this cool chick who is always up for a good time and can make fun from anything/anywhere. I like to think that I am charismatic and can make friends anywhere. Boy, did that get tested my first two weeks here in Dublin. Being in a new country is hard. Being in a new country without old friends or family is even harder. Yet here I am, making it, adjusting and killin’ the game. 

About a week and a half ago, I was sitting at the gate for my flight from Paris to Rabat. The closer we got to boarding time, the more American college students showed up, gravitating towards each other in mutual recognition. We made up a considerable portion of the members of our program, that group of us who were all on Air France Flight 1258 from Charles de Gaulle to Rabat-Salé.

It has only been about a week and a half since then, but it feels like ages ago.