In general, going abroad to study is a pricey ordeal for everyone except the lucky few with mythical things called “full scholarships that include airfare.” If you’re like me, that is just a dream that unfortunately did not come to fruition. So, like many others, I’ve had to become very aware of how and where I’m spending my money for two reasons: 1) I don’t want to run out of money while I’m 7,000 miles from home and, 2) budgeting wisely can actually help you have more fun in the long run. So why does such a tedious task matter?

Picking a homestay has certain rewards and certain drawbacks when compared with dorm accommodations, and each become increasingly apparent over the course of the semester. Starting with the positives, having a host family to come home to every night does a great job of helping you forget homesickness.

He didn’t slice completely through the neck with the first cut, but blood started streaming out anyway. With its neck half-off, it started huffing and puffing. Its bottom half twitched. Then he went in for a second slice, except this time he used a sawing motion, as if portioning a tree trunk.

The neck still resisted. In one final exasperated attempt, he grabbed hold of its head and twisted until it was severed from the body. At last, the sheep was dead.

This past weekend my friend Jenn and I decided to see a little more of Australia and off to Melbourne we went! Things I love about Melbourne:

It still feels surreal seeing a trail of leaf cutter ants crawling along the sidewalk or hearing a flock of green parrots flying in the sky. The skyscrapers and high-rise buildings I am use to recognizing have been replaced by green enormous mountains hiding among the clouds. Even seeing a green iguana basking underneath the sun in my backyard still surprises me. Costa Rica is filled with such rich biodiversity. I have seen many different plants and many animals.

“Learning a foreign language not only reveals how other societies think and feel, what they have experienced and value, and how they express themselves, it also provides a cultural mirror in which we can more clearly see our own society.” • Chancellor Edward Lee Gorsuch

London is amazing and we’re living in the middle of it. I’ve never lived in a big city before and I am absolutely overwhelmed by all of the possibilities. Everything is so accessible. Music, parks, grocery stores, cafés, people, history, museums, movies, culture. All so close, usually within walking distance. And if not within walking distance, that is okay with me because the Tube is my best friend. I think it’s probably because I’m new but I enjoy every single ride on that thing.

First day in London!

This past weekend, most of the students and I went on the first IES Abroad-sponsored cultural trip. We visited the small towns of Pitigliano, Sorano, and Montalcino.

We all met in front of the IES Abroad Center at 7:15 in the morning on Friday morning. It felt altogether too early to be properly functioning, so we all were looking forward to the bus ride for napping.