So far it's been 2 and a half weeks here in Vienna and I'm now confident to get anywhere using the U-Bahn.  So far, I have been to a few museums including the Austria's National Library.  One thing you realize are the intricate details on pretty much all the buildings and how museums are rich in history & culture of Vienna.  *Although I tried, pictures will never do it justice.  i went to the Schönbrunn Palace, Kunsthistorisches Musueam, Hofburg Palace, and inside many churches as well.

It has been an absolute whirlwind of a week in Milan, from orientation programming to navigating the city. I’m not really here to go into that—if you’re looking for something that will get you up to speed with how most people write about studying abroad and you’re not easily offended, check out my friend’s post here.

When I began the preliminary process of researching and exploring the possibility of studying in South Africa for nearly half a year, I received several mixed opinions. They ranged from, “Are you sure you want to go there? It’s like REALLY dangerous”, all the way to “Oh I knew a girl that studied in Cape Town… She loved it so much she never came back”. I talked to just about everyone I knew that had any relative connection to the country.

I often have trouble when reflecting back on my life just three, even four short weeks ago.

Bonjour from Paris. It's weird to think I'm currently living in France. That is just mind boggling for me to say now. I've been living in Paris, France for about a week now, although it feels like I've been here for an eternity, but that's something to blog about another day. Today I am here simply to talk about my teeny tiny little living space.

My first few days in Freiburg have been a whirlwind.  At some points it feels like I’ve been here for weeks, at others I will momentarily forget that I ever left home.  But the good news is that I survived the many tenuous hours of travel and successfully arrived alive and in one piece.

In the year 2016, I will be physically home in Mesa, Arizona for a grand total of about two weeks.  While growing up and becoming more independent is a process nearly all children endure, it is nonetheless a rather odd epiphany to realize that the place you have called “home” all your life is now a place only occasionally visited on holidays or vacation.

This is a question that comes up frequently. Are my friends and family at home sleeping or awake? When will I get used to subtracting 6 or 7 hours from the local time? From adjusting to a new time zone, to losing my luggage, my abroad adventure has officially begun. 

           Hi! My name is Emma Shaughnessy, and I’m from Washington, DC. I’m a junior at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, where I’m a psychology and French double major. In my free time, I love to sing, play guitar and piano, and write songs. I am also passionate about writing and photography. As of now, my future career goals are to go to graduate school, eventually get a doctoral degree in a relevant area of psychology, and become a therapist.

Step 1: Buy a Ticket.