Hi, all! My name is Alison Castañeda and I am a rising junior at the University of Redlands. I am double majoring in Communicative Disorders (speech-language pathology) and in Spanish.

Hello again! It's been a while. About a month, actually, although it feels like it's been much longer than that.

I'm trying to put everything that I might possibly need for the next semester into one large, red suitcase, one small duffle bag, and one standard backpack that has been worn down from my first two years at college. But trying to plan out what I might possibly need in a place that I've never been before is much harder than it looks. Like, how am I supposed to know if I'll need to bring Scotch tape? I'm sure they'll have tape in Freiburg, but should I be safe and just take it? Or should I wing it, save space, and hope that I don't need tape.

Chefchaouen!

A tiny city all in blue! According to our tour guide, the signature blue that brightens every winding medina street actually comes from a Jewish tradition (your resident half-Jewish girl did not know this) – which makes sense, considering the town was the destination of a many Jewish and Muslim refugees from the Spanish reconquista in the late 15^th century.

Rabat again. I am on the roof of my host family’s house, looking at the stars. Less than the Sahara; more than New York. I am thinking about the people I know under this sky.

It is not quiet. An outdoor concert makes it over from the river quay. Someone’s loud pop music plays on a nearby speaker. The light from the street comes up orange-yellow on the white washed buildings. The moon is one of many lights, a brighter, less diffuse point than most.

I've been in China for less than a week, but I've already seen some amazing places. Yesterday, as part of our orientation, we did an activity called "mystery Beijing" where we had to find various locations throughout the city. My team chose to go to the 798 Art District, otherwise known as "Qijiuba". Getting there was tricky--it took three different subway transfers and a twenty minute walk--but I learned how to navigate the subway system and practiced asking for directions along the way. 

Lion’s Head is one of the mountain peaks that surround Cape Town. The peak is about 2,195 feet above sea level.

With the days approaching so quickly, I can still barely believe that by the end of the week I will be stepping foot on Japanese soil. Nevertheless, I am infinitely excited to embark on this life journey ahead of me. My name is Moziah Thompson, but my friends call me Mozi. I am a rising senior at Georgia State University studying graphic design. I decided to study abroad in Japan because I am completely amazed by their culture in terms of art, day-to-day interactions, food, and just about everything else (yes, that includes manga and anime).