I’m home for the first time in nearly two months, and yet for now, “home” feels like a misnomer. It’s familiar, sure, but after growing accustomed to everything from the 3:00pm siestas to the 10:00pm sunsets, it’s going to take some getting used to before my “normal” is once again normal. I’m filling my time with everything that I love – friends, family, coffee, literature, language… coffee – but it’s hard to think about anything other than my time in Madrid and beyond.

These are a few thoughts on what I learned from traveling gone all kinds of wrong.

I knew long before I signed up to study abroad in China that my internet habits were going to change. I signed up for about eight weeks of no Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, or New York Times— give or take a VPN. But what I didn’t realize was how much else the Great Firewall of China covered.

I’m supposed to write at least four hundred words about my study abroad experience, but how can I when I am mourning the state of my own country? How do I casually write about the good experiences I’ve had here in London when my heart is back home? How do I cope with the helplessness from afar? How do I do more than make facebook posts, all of which of meaningless until I act on them? It seems that since I’ve come to London, something has happened back home to pull my heart in their direction.

The time spent here is rapidly slipping through my hands and sadly we just passed the halfway mark here in Beijing.  So much has happened from celebrating birthdays to going on class field trips that it’s been difficult to keep track of it all!

Night Market Shenanigans

             Now that the IES Abroad Spanish class is over, I don’t think I’ll be waking up early again for the rest of my study abroad trip.  I’m almost sad about it, since there are quite a few sights in Barcelona that are exclusive to early risers, but my circadian rhythm simply won’t allow me to get out of bed before eleven unless my GPA is at stake.  I’ll miss walking to class in the morning, though:  I’ll miss seeing squadrons of suit-wearing businessmen blaze past me on their motorcycles whole

Well, here we are. I’m lying in bed in my little Parisian apartment for the last time. It’s so strange how something that was once so surreal is now something so familiar that leaving seems impossible. I can’t possibly fully express my gratitude to everyone that has helped make this opportunity possible for me.

As classes are intensifying, I found it increasingly important to take time to be outdoors. Between picnics in the park and spending weekends exploring the Irish countryside, finding ways to be in nature are plentiful. The landscape of the country varies in an instant, ranging from farmland to bustling city to mountains. It is clear that the Irish have an incredible appreciation for their land. There is a common knowledge of how the land has impacted history and how it continually supports the country. This is evident through St.

The third week was a mixture of emersing ourselves in the diverse culture of Cape Town as well as learn about the complexities of the health care system in South Africa and how the country is working to improve and expand upon this system that faces major difficulties with accomodating to the vast amount of illnesses and diseases. 

Weeks I’ve been in Germany: 6

Islands I’ve visited: 1 (more info to come)