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By the time I left New Zealand, I felt ready to go home. I’d been out of the country for 5 months- more time away from the U.S. than all my previous international trips combined. I was excited to return home and be in a familiar setting. But it was sad to leave behind my new friends in Auckland. Now that I’m gone, I miss the little things about New Zealand.
I miss the rain.
Right after classes had officially ended, and before exams started, Madison (another IES Abroad Student) and I decided to plan a trip to Australia.
Before trips like this, I like to give myself overarching goals that I want to accomplish while I’m away, or at least set a direction for myself in what the trip is for. Going to Korea in the summer, my main goal was to become comfortable with traveling by myself, which included being able to handle travel logistics as well as being okay with spending time alone exploring new places.
I haven’t pulled the suitcases out of the closet yet, but I’ve been mentally ‘packing’ for months—debating what to bring, what to leave, and how to make it all fit. Salamanca, where I’ll be studying, will have temperatures from 50-70 during my time there, and I want to travel other places on the weekends. My packing also has to accommodate my eclectic style, which ranges from floor length floral dresses to leather jackets and Dr. Martens. And who knows what clothes and souvenirs I’ll find abroad that will need a way to come home with me!
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.
