"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." – Winnie the Pooh It has been three weeks since I have come home from Europe, and about four weeks since my program ended, but it feels like a lifetime ago. I cannot believe that I will be leaving for my last semester of college in just two days. The semester coming to an end was definitely a bittersweet moment for me. I had felt that once I finally got the hang of my life abroad, it was time to go.

Hey guys, My name is Reid Larsen and I am a sophomore at the University of Michigan studying biomedical engineering with an international minor. I’m originally from Acton Massachusetts, a little suburb about 45 minutes west of Boston. A lot of people at home and at school call me ‘Reido’ or ‘Reido Burrito’ and although this nickname was given to me when I was five days old, I love burritos, especially from Chipotle.

“Ineluctable modality of the visible: at least that if no more, thought through my eyes." –James Joyce, Ulysses. I still can’t believe what I see as I gaze upon the Liffey. While words do it some justice, the view of this majestic river and its many bridges transcends its literary representations. Yet I am more astounded that many of the bridges are named after revolutionaries and writers.

Fourteen hours on an airplane and I was bound to Beijing, my new home for four months. Words can't describe how I felt when I waved goodbye and smiled to my parents. I was ready- or as ready as I’d ever be. I was the only one out of my friends in Texas that choose to study abroad in China, so I was excited to make new friends and tell my friends back home about my Beijing adventures. The airplane ride was interesting, to say the least. I forgot how long the flight felt.

Since coming back to the States, I feel a lot better. I had known before I left for Morocco that there would be certain luxuries that I’m accustomed to having and even take for granted that I might have to live without in a different country. Many amenities that are readily available for me in the States just weren’t available in Morocco, and I could deal with almost all of them. The one thing I’m super happy to not have in my life anymore is the daily cat-calling and sexual harassment.

This is the first time I've ever blogged, so I went all out and am wearing a sweater, with my Apple devices, listening to the Hamilton recording, in a local coffee shop. My former co-workers are so proud.

It’s been one week since I arrived in France, and as if on que, I had my first dream in French last night. Granted, it was quite short and bizarre, but nonetheless I consider it a small victory in my effort to master French.

The title speaks for itself, as usual! Thank you all for sticking with me and watching my vlogs and reading my posts. I really do hope they are useful or at least entertaining for future study abroad students! As my last post, I wanted to talk about IES Abroad Tokyo as a program.