With all this traveling going on, I’ve barely had any time to think of home and what I miss about it. Unfortunately, I think it finally caught up to me. What’s bad about the crash of homesickness after all this running around is that I’ve gotten a little sad and sleepy. But what’s great is that I’ve realized pretty much everyone else is in the same boat as me. All my friends here aren’t afraid to talk about how much they miss Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, driving a car, or sitting around the TV with their families.

Sunday, March 13th, 2016 20:18

Hey everyone!

Salut!

It’s been a while since I spoke about my homestay because everything has been going well. No news is usually good news (attention mom and dad). I have learned the ropes on how to work my way around the apartment and I have gotten to know my host family better. Everything was great, that is, until the weekend after winter break when I blew out the electricity in the kitchen on a Sunday.

There are so many reasons why this was one of my gravest mistakes yet. Here are the top three:

A few days ago, some of us went to Umbria on an IES Abroad trip.  I was excited to see another region of Italy after spending so much time in Tuscany.  When we arrived in Perugia I was surprised by how much it reminded me of Siena.  It was a medieval town with modern aspects just like Siena.     It is a town with a fascinating, independent history that the people are so proud of.       

So, if you haven't ever been to Rio de Janeiro, you may link it with images of sprawling beaches, pristine waters, and pure relaxation. If you have been to Rio, you probably know that the beaches are indeed sprawling, but with people sprawled every couple of feet, the water can be pristine if you distance yourself from the Guanabara Bay, and you can relax as long as all of your personal belongings are secured.

Credit to my buddy Reeti for the title pun.

Two weeks ago I spent the weekend in Berlin, Germany. Since getting back I’ve been trying to find a way to write about my experience in a way that’ll do it justice, but it’s proven to be quite the challenge. There was something so real about the city and the time I spent there, and I don’t know if I’m literally articulate enough to capture it in writing, but I’m going to try.