Well my bag is packed and I’m ready to travel (although in full disclosure I’ve been packed for a week and trying really hard to live on three pairs of shorts because if I unpack anything the odds of me forgetting to put it back in my bag are high. So a more appropriate thing to say would be I leave tomorrow or I’ve hit one day left on my countdown to studying abroad in Buenos Aires)!!

This is my suitcase.

Whelp, I’ve got about a week left before heading out to Cape Town. And I’m already packed. Sort of? All the clothes, book, and other odds and ends I will be taking with me are definitely in the general vicinity of my suitcase. A last-minute trip to Florida with some of my family ensured that I’ve already gone through the process of wheedling down my clothes and deciding what goes in checked versus carry-on. So in a way, I’m on top of things. (It's the small victories, friends).

IES Abroad had three different field trips to amazing places. Here are my favorite parts from each trip.

My arrival in Auckland started with a lot of worries. First of all, I had to have my hiking boots inspected. They were caked with mud from as far north as Michigan and as far south as Chile. That wasn’t allowed in New Zealand; my boots had to be cleaned and the bottoms sanitized before I was allowed to enter the country. Although it seemed kind of silly, the biosecurity guy was pretty nice about it.

For just under two days, I travelled all through the eastern world with layovers in Athens, Dubai, and Sydney.  Even though they were quick stops, it’s easy to fall in love with countries as pretty as they are from the sky.  It was also amazing to be able to explore Dubai International Airport — my ten-hour layover there was definitely an experience I won’t forget.   But landing in Christchurch was like a dream come true.

I know what you're thinking: how can I sit through a long flight, risking sitting near obnoxious children or between talkative flight enthusiasts? With a little bit of preparation, you'll survive. You might, in fact, end up enjoying it (okay, maybe that's an overstatement).

DO...

During our IES Abroad orientation in Rabat, there was a session in which the students in my program collaboratively listed things we were nervous about and things we were excited for. Everyone had different anxieties and interests, but one student was excited for something that I found particularly unique: he was excited to gain a greater appreciation of life in the United States.

Hello All!

This is my first blog being written as a correspondent for the Paris French Studies program for the upcoming semester, fall of 2017. I am thrilled (and terrified, very very terrified) for this new adventure coming up in my life. While I am in Paris I will document my adventures through this blog, sharing my experience in classes, everyday life, homestay, travel, and whatever else happens to come my way.