As I prepare to leave for the states, I’m constantly changing my mind. Home or Ireland? Where do I want to be more? Being abroad has introduced me to so many opportunities, but it has also reminded me of the roots I have back home. Over the past few weeks, homesickness has set in. I’m treading the fine line of never wanting to leave such a beautiful country and experience, and wanting to see my family and my home. In this inner conflict, I’ve seen that when you’re in one place, you’re always looking for another.

¡Hola amigos!

My name is Katrina and this semester I’ll be studying in Salamanca, Spain. You, dear reader, will soon be witness to the good, the bad, and the truly embarrassing of my travels in Southern Europe as I recount my life abroad through the most modern of mediums: the Blog. I hope you enjoy reading about my (soon-to-be) adventures and that you will pardon my eventual digressions and distractions as I navigate this new (for me) form of sharing. So, without any further ado, let’s begin.

In less than a month now, I will be getting on a plane. I will be leaving the country for the first time in my 20 years of life. I will be heading to France completely alone. Not knowing a single person I will be living with or studying with. Once I get on that plane I won't be coming back to the comforts of my California home for three and a half months.

And the craziest part of all of this, I haven't spent more than an hour thinking about it all.

I can’t believe the program has come to a close.  Not only have I been able to significantly improve on my Chinese language skills and travel to major historical sites around China, but I have also been able to make such wonderful friends that I will cherish forever.  We ate together, went on trips together, sang annoying songs together, watched GoT together, and of course studied together.  I wish I could 打包 dabao (take away and pack）this experience with me. I'm going to miss everyone!

So, it has been a week since I left London. It took a couple of days before the jet lag hit me, and about around the same time I became homesick for London. Adjusting to being back at home has not been too hard, though. I came home for a couple of days and then flew out to Colorado for a family vacation, so I have managed to keep myself busy enough not to feel depressed. I am really just waiting for school to start, so I won't pine for London so much. Still, I haven't been through any form of culture shock on re-entering the United States.

It´s my last day in Barcelona, and that can only mean one thing:  Food Time!  That special time when, before leaving a foreign country, you go to binge eat enough of your favorite region exclusive cuisine to hold yourself over until next time.  My must-eat specials from Barcelona are:

Patatas Bravas

As our week in Nelspruit came to an end, and I felt both physically and emotionally drained. Hopping from one department to the next at the Rob Ferreira hospital, I was able to spend time in the medical wards, the surgery theaters, the psych ward, the pediatrics ward, and the occupational therapy center. While the work done in each department differed, they all had one thing in common: a severe lack of resources.  

Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do…

 – Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland   

Culture is a phenomena that can be very hard to describe. I attempted to take a communications class, “defining culture,” and admittedly, dropped after the first week. I like to think of culture, when it must be defined, as things that make people stand apart.

A Comprehensive List of Some Differences Between Berlin and Los Angeles

 

1. Groceries are incredibly cheap!