I’ve never left North America. This lack of worldliness might have to do with the fact that my mother hasn’t left the continent either. To her, the thought of a ten-hour plane ride is scary, and the concept of living in another country is simply unthinkable. My grandma holds similar views.

My flight will land in Dublin a week from now. I have less than a week to have everything packed up and ready to go. I am not sure how the time flew, but fly right on by it did. How am I preparing? By reading of course! 

I come from a family of travelers.

Before every trip departure, as we roll out of our driveway, my family says the same phrase: "Here's good luck and away we go." My grandmother started this tradition and I still find myself saying it whenever I leave home for a good chunk of time. Whether it's a family trip to Austria, 2 months in Israel, or just move-in day at Penn State, there is something comforting about this simple ritual of ours. It is a sense of familiarity before inevitable uncertainty.

There are two things that I underestimated when I arrived in Ireland: just how much tea the Irish drink, and just how easy it is to travel around the country! After our first full week of classes (and more cups of tea than I've ever drank in my life), my roommates and I joined other IES Abroad students on hike around the picturesque Howth Head just north of Dublin, then branched out on our own to explore Galway. 

It’s been a little over a week since I first arrived in Quito, and there have already been too many sights and experiences to count. Every Ecuadorian I’ve met so far has been incredibly kind and welcoming, and I can already feel myself falling in love with the culture. Between getting to know host families, starting classes and exploring the city, it’s been a busy time. On top of all this, we are also practicing a new language.

When preparing for college, I was fortunate enough to have my parents do a lot of the administrative stuff for me. I had no idea how daunting forms, applications, and appointments could be!