In October, our program took a trip to Sevilla, Spain. We visited the Alcazár — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and the Cathedral of Sevilla, which is said to have the body of Christopher Columbus.

Tonight at dinner my friends and I remarked how there is only one month left of class. It feels like we just arrived last week. In just weeks before it’s time to return home.

In the first week of November, our IES Abroad class took a five-day trip to Morocco. After crossing the straight of Gibraltar on a ferry, we spent a night in Tangier – Morocco’s northernmost major city. The city was beautiful, with stunning Mediterranean architecture and brightly colored buildings overlooking the ocean. The streets were narrow and curving, and they trapped the smell of fresh bread, mint tea and Moroccan soup.

Studying abroad means you are away from your home campus, away from your usual routine, and often away from the intensity of university life. Certain levels of stress can be a good thing, providing an impetus for focus and discipline. It can help you get to the gym, do your homework on time, and apply for summer internships.

But what happens when you feel like you have one foot in school and the other foot in vacationland?

It can be said that the month of December is the most heartwarming, happiest time of the year, where everyone around the world becomes consumed with a vibrant sense of joy and merriment. Streets are covered with twinkling lights, Christmas trees appear in every window, and the faint sound of jingle bells can be heard at almost any moment of the day. It’s truly magical.

Since I first arrived in London, I felt a vibrant LGBTQ presence. After doing some research and getting suggestions from friends, I felt ready to set out and experience the best of LGBTQ London. However, in order to really experience it, I would need a photographer friend to help me document it. Fortunately, I knew the perfect person for the job. Levi, the first friend I made when I came to London, was not only ready to join me, he’s a gay photographer (win win, am I right?).

One of my favorite things about London is how many parks its has. There are the main parks that most people know about, Hyde Park, Regent's Park, Green Park, etc. and then there are the millions of squares that dot the city. For example, my school SOAS resides next to Russel Square, which is a decent sized square but SOAS is also south of a Gordon Square, a smaller park with some cool statues in it. The view from my window alone shows how many trees intermingle with the buildings. It's quite amazing actually. 

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. 

Every year, my mom, sister and I watch the Macy’s Day Parade. We cook the whole morning - each family member masters a different dish. Last year, mine was apple pie. I promise it was perfect, not too sweet or tart. For the rest of the day we eat, watch Football, and spend time together.

Wow, it’s really hard to believe that I’m almost done. Two more weeks to go in my study abroad experience.  One week of regular classes the other week that is half my classes then exams. Then I’m getting on a plane to head on home. It’s hard to wrap my mind around. We’re in the time of final projects and wrapping up everything academically before exams. It feels like it was just yesterday that we were taking midterms and looking forward to going on fall break.

Wow, I’m almost done. Two more weeks. One of classes and one that is half my classes then exams. Then I’m on my way home. It’s hard to wrap my mind around. We’re in the time of final projects and wrapping everything up before exams. It feels like it was just yesterday that we were taking midterms and looking forward to going on fall break. Now we’re about to take our finals and are looking forward to doing Christmas at home with out families.I am keeping very busy beyond just the academic madness that always happens with this time of the semester.