I'm lucky enough to have only been back in the United States for three days, but it feels like I left Europe a lifetime ago.  I spent the holidays with my parents in Amsterdam and Bruges and we had a wonderful time wandering around Christmas markets, eating delicious food, and spending time together catching up on the last four months.  I had been looking forward to their arrival so much that I hadn't really come to grips with the fact that I was leaving Amsterdam until we got to the hotel at the airport the night before we left.  I'v

It’s New Year’s Eve. White snow is outside. The CTA Red Line is rumbling past. My computer is humming. I'm enjoying the feel of my own bed and the coziness of my apartment. I've been home for three weeks. Everyday, in the back of my mind, I hear sea lion calls. 

It's been a couple weeks since I've been back in the US, in my home city St. Louis, MO. Although it felt effortless to adjust to the holiday season with family, I've been feeling like a part of me is missing ever since I've left Japan.

Not only did I have incredible life-changing experiences while abroad, I made quality friendships while abroad, many sparked by IES Abroad and dozens more across the school I attended for a semester. 

My name is Madison Weaver, and I am a junior Creative Writing and Multimedia Communications double major at Bucknell University. I’m starting 2018 with a brand new adventure: three and a half months living and studying in Dublin, Ireland.

During a much needed Fall Break, IES Abroad organized five days of island hopping extravaganza. It’s very stress free to go island hopping without needing to handle any of the logistics. Fall Break is after the third module and it couldn’t have come sooner. I was stressed out from classes, constantly sick from diarrhea and dreadfully homesick. Honestly, I was feeling depressed and lonely. I felt like I was the only one who was homesick, the only person not adjusting to island life, the only one with problems.