School has always been an area where I excel. I like school, and learning, and connecting with my peers and professors. Going to school has always been an enjoyable experience, mostly because I was always comfortable. At Gettysburg College, where I am working on my Bachelors degree in the states, I am one of 2,700 students. Within the departments I major in, political science and public policy, I know all of my professors on a first name basis, and in most of my classes, that reach a cap of about 25 students, I know a majority of my peers.

From one student to the next, here are my tips for smoothly adjusting to life in Milan and learning to live as a local:

Guten Tag allerseits,

For my first four nights in Madrid, I stayed in a hostel in the city and I can’t recommend it enough. Have you heard of hostels? Maybe you have, but I’ll give a quick overview for those who haven’t: hostels are overnight accommodations where people (generally young adults) stay in rooms that are shared with other savvy travelers. Here are the six best things about staying in a hostel when you're traveling:

            Three weeks down, and one left to go on the mainland! Just about everything about Quito and mainland Ecuador has been an experience of a lifetime so far. Up to this point, the Wildlife Conservation & Management module has been involved more outside of the classroom than in, which has created an incredibly engaging educational opportunity. In the last week alone we took field trips to Fiorentina Rose Farm, the Guayllabamba Zoo, and Reserva Ecologica Antisana.

This weekend, almost all of us decided to venture out to the island of Elba, and it was possibly one of the best weekends of my life. The trip began with a two and a half hour bus ride to Piombino, an hour long ferry ride to Elba, and then a thrity minute bus ride to the hostel, Camping Lacona (highly recommend staying there). The first day we explored Lacona beach, and spent a significant amount of time floating in the Mediterranean Sea. The second day was even better than the first. Eight of us went kayaking and snorkeling.

    It's incredibly hard to believe but I have been in the Netherlands for three weeks now and so far have been having the most amazing time.  In the two weeks before classes began I did a bit of travelling throughout the Netherlands and each city I explored was exciting and unique in its own way.  My friends and I took a day trip to Zaanse Shans, a neighborhood in Zaandam that's filled with the scent of chocolate (due to its famous chocolate factory) and countless windmills.

            This past week was filled with parks and reserves, hiking, and taking in the diversity of species and surroundings. Our Wildlife Conservation and Management class took a field trip to Maquipucuna Nature Reserve, a cloud forest located about an hour north of Quito. There, we took several hikes observing the stark differences between the secondary and primary forests. Much of the land there was previously under agricultural production as sugar cane farm plantations.

The first two weeks in Dublin can be characterized by lots of walking, mental mapping and excitement over not getting lost after the fourth or fifth time that you’ve ventured on your own down one of the various streets in the city. 

The feeling of triumph is amazing, and being able to navigate in the city makes it feel more like home. You feel a sense of belonging and little more like a Dubliner.

Recently, I went with my new friends to an open market to purchase a Dutch bicycle (a necessity in The Netherlands). I was with three wonderful women: one from Finland, one from Canada, and one from Spain. To set the scene, it’s important to understand many of these bikes are stolen. The Amsterdam Police estimate that 50.000 to 80.000 bikes are stolen annually. Additionally, these probably stolen bikes don’t have prices on them, forcing you to ask the seller about each bike you’re interested in.