You can get sick at any time. Last January, after proudly not setting foot in a hospital for fifteen years, I found myself in the ER three times within two weeks (let’s give it up for stomach flus that spread through an entire university). While that experience was scary, at least I knew the American health care system and had insurance. But what about when you’re abroad?
This past week went by so quickly and was a whirlwind because I felt like my two worlds, my one here and my one from home, collided together (but in a good way)! My uncle, aunt, and family friend came to visit me on Thanksgiving and for the weekend. It was so comforting to see them, and have family here, as this was the first time that I was away from home for Thanksgiving. My uncle and aunt have been to Barcelona in the past, so I tried to come up with an itinerary that was not for the typical first-timer tourist.
Hola a todos! Recently I've been whinning ovHola a todos! El pasado fin de semana mis amigos y yo viajamos a Amsterdam. Mi español esta mejorando? Jaja?
Día de Gracias
While studying abroad, I’ve been taking a Gastronomy class where I’ve been learning a lot about French cuisine, wine, and etiquette. What I have come to realize is that France takes a lot of pride in its cuisine and places a lot of importance on the presentation and sharing of a meal. You can see this is the aesthetic of the table spreads, the choice of cutlery, and the order of dishes, making each meal a sort of event in and of itself.
Today is November 24, 2016. In the United States families and friends are sitting around tables topped with turkeys, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pies. Today, I’m sitting around a table four thousand miles away, in an apartment owned by my best friend from high school in a little city in France called Metz. Although a very tiny chicken has replaced our turkey, and raspberry jam attempts to hold the place of my favorite Thanksgiving side of cranberry sauce, today I’m still filled with immense gratitude.
During the previous semester of college at Occidental, a single month went by slowly. This summer, my two months in D.C. passed by a little quicker. Now, after three whole months of being abroad, I find myself shocked at how fast it has gone.
One of the best things about studying abroad here in Spain has definitely been the food. I’ve had no problems with the food here. I think I’ve said “¡muy rica!” (very good/delicious!) after so many meals here that my host mom is starting to think I’m exaggerating for her benefit. No Manuela, I’m not trying to exaggerate, I just can’t believe how good this food is.
"Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!"
Public transit in Milan is absolutely fantastic. Between trains, buses, trams, and the metro, the city is easily navigable and you can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. (Fun fact: the trams are a Milanese invention that were quickly brought to other major cities like Lisbon and San Francisco.