What a month it has been! This is the month in which all my other friends who are studying abroad decided to visit me. All the visiting of me in Paris is done until my parents arrive during Thanksgiving week near the end of November. Two different weekends were full to the brim with two different friends visiting me, both of whom, hilariously enough, are currently studying abroad in Spain! Together we did all the usual tourist stuff, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre, etc. etc. etc.

Over these past few weeks, I have traveled a lot. I ended my program in Buenos Aires and quickly flew to Lima for my week long field trip for cultural immersion in Peru. This also included a flight to Cusco, a visit to the iconic Macchu Picchu, and then flying back to Lima to fly to Santiago for the second half of my program.

Day 1 | Thursday | October 26th 2017 | Nikko

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Ireland has been combating some pretty crazy weather lately! While we survived ex-hurricane Ophelia, not even a week had gone by when we were faced with Storm Brian. And did Brian sure cause us some problems…

The rail systems throughout the country and cheap student-priced tickets make it super easy to travel outside the ‘concrete jungle’ of Dublin and to the other wonderful counties of Ireland. This past weekend some friends and I decided to make a journey out to the ‘real’ capital of Ireland, Cork!

This past Sunday, I spent the entire day roaming the streets of Barcelona alone, exploring what has become one of my favorite places in the world. Maybe it was the sunny, warm weather, or the indescribable gelato that brightened my spirits, but this day was an amazing reflection as to why I chose to come to Barcelona and why I am so glad that I did.

“We have set out on a quest for true humanity, and somewhere on the distant horizon we can see the glittering prize. Let us march forth with courage and determination, drawing strength from our common plight and our brotherhood. In time we shall be in position to bestow upon South Africa the greatest gift possible - a more human face.” –Steve Biko, “Black Consciousness and the Quest for a True Humanity” 

It’s kind of sad to say that I’m officially in the down turn of my time in South Africa. I have just five weeks left here, and some things are already ending. I do miss some things about home, but I’m nowhere near ready to think about leaving yet. 

Sleeping near the ocean is very difference from sleeping in Tiputini. In Tiputini, I was lulled to sleep by the sounds of the forest. Frogs and insects harmonized under the mood and brought the forest to life, even late at night. It was soothing, and I would quickly fall asleep. However, near the ocean where the salt water burns your insides, it made different sounds. The waves crash onto the beach, then make a quiet retreat only to return later. Crickets can be heard rubbing their legs together and the breeze finds its way through the window.

As October draws to a close, and as the fall weather finally begins to settle in, I’ve had some time to comfortably reflect on the the last two months of my life spent here in Spain. A lot of my time thus far has been dedicated to learning Spanish, getting accustomed to a routine of spending time in classes, with friends, and taking various excursions on the weekends, while also trying to absorb all the inspiration I get from the people, places, and art that I see.

We climbed up the staircase with colorful ceramic tile designs lining the narrow walls and we emerged into the bright sunshine of the restaurant roof. Three black cats played in a patch of shade as my 4 girlfriends and I tried to hide from the sun that hovered over us with what seemed like all its blazing might.