Instead of returning to Shanghai early, six of us took advantage of our 4-day weekend, journeying from Siem Reep, Cambodia to Bangkok, Thailand’s capital and most populous city. Bangkok is a modern and progressive metropolis steeped in history.

11 December 2015

"Public baths? You mean where I bathe with other people? Oh no, no, no. No thank you but that’s definitely not for me. Really, by all means, I do not mind passing on that while in Japan."

And now for part two…. 

CULTURE & LIFESTYLE: Overall Rating 3.8 out of 5 stars
Attitude towards Women: 2.3
Attitude towards Cultural Diversity: 2.5
“Island Lifestyle”: 4
Safety: 4.7
Night Life: 2.9

Today (or I guess I should say yesterday because its 6:44am now), we graduated the IES Abroad Beijing program. Dressed in the nicest clothes we brought to China, everyone said their thank yous, shared memories, and took lots of pictures. This entire week has felt completely ordinary--the only exception being everyone talking about how soon we're leaving. Though I've been going through the motions, it still hasn't hit me. 

Each school in the United States has various methods of teaching that differ from one another. I knew before I left for New Zealand that I should be prepared for not just a different method, but also a whole new view on education. Christchurch students grow up throughout primary and secondary school wearing uniforms and traveling to school through public transport.

We had our final dinner this week. It has been so bizarre to be saying goodbye to all of these folks here in Dublin—I hear myself say goodbye, and give people hugs, but I don’t feel like it’s real. I feel like I’ll see them again next week, and not (potentially) many months from now! It’s truly surreal, and equally sad.

It’s All Good - lyrics

[Verse 1] It’s All Good

It’s all Good like everything’s alright

I got this slice of life and I’ve been taking bites.

I Remember it was just a few months ago

Sittin in on a plane contemplating where my life would go.

There is so much to say about Istanbul, so much I loved, and so much that changed from day to day. The only thing that stayed the same was my constant state of bloatness from eating anything that I found in front of me. Here is a shortlist of my favorites. It is by no means comprehensive.

1. Turkish delight