Hi everyone! I'm Peter, and this summer I'm studying the Japanese language in Nagoya, Japan. I've been studying the language for almost two years already, and since I've always had an interest in Japanese culture as well, I figured that it was definitely time I went out to study in Japan itself! There's so much about this country I'm excited to see and experience, from the simple things like food all the way to exploring the different islands.

Home at last! I arrived back in New York almost two weeks ago, and in classic Roya fashion, I’ve been traveling ever since. This has given me at least 16 hours on long car rides, countless trains into NYC, and even some time on my bike to reflect on my past semester.

What a whirlwind five days it's been! Since landing in Paris on Wednesday morning, my days have been filled with places to be and things to see. The other four girls in this program are sweeter than the crêpes at the cafés on every street corner. ​Since arriving here, we've been so incredibly lucky to have the support of the IES Abroad Center staff who have made the transition into a foreign country incredibly easy.

Bonjour de Paris,

Living à Paris as a student is a dream come true. You don’t have to worry about the high cost of housing. You don’t even need a job. As a student, my normal weekday went something like this:

7:30 am - Bonjour Paris! Wake up before the sun rises (I always thought that I was early because the sun rose so late in the mornings, especially during the winter). Open the windows to let in some fresh air and get ready for an awesome day.

I’ve now been back in the states for almost a week. I quickly went to all of my favorite restaurants and had all of my favorite home cooked meals. There are some things that even the amazing food in Italy can't replace. These past months have been the greatest times of my life and I’ve had the privilege of experiencing so many new and different cultures. Through my time abroad, I’ve gathered quite a few helpful tips and pieces of advice.

(Caution aux francophones: Mon français n'est pas la meilleur, mais j'espère que ça va changer cet été.)

My editing software was unable to include subtitles in the video, but I hope it is easy to follow no matter what language you speak. This was all shot on my luxurious iPhone 5s Camera.  Here is the English translation of the video:

Contrary to what my friends and family from home think, I am enrolled in four classes at UC Canterbury.  I’m writing this blog post because when I was preparing to depart for New Zealand I had no idea how to choose the right classes. Even when first I arrived in Christchurch, the other IES Abroad students and I would discuss what classes we were all going to take and which teachers sounded the best.