I’ll begin this post where my last one left off. So after leaving Soweto, I’m pretty sure we drove the long way to Kruger in order for us to see the “Panorama Route.” This route featured some of South Africa’s most beautiful natural wonders. However, before we got to the nature stuff, we got to eat and eat A LOT! We stopped at this famous restaurant called “Harry’s Pancakes,” which were basically glorified crepes with countless filling options.

It was difficult, arriving in Morocco for the first time; it was a challenge for us all. Unacquainted and confused, we entered a new world that we would attempt to make our home. Fortunately, many of us became friends fast, and with each other’s company, studying abroad became an even better experience. So, here’s to our spring break – with a great group of people and a dance party to celebrate the fellowship, I mean friendship.

One Wednesday after class, one of my professors asked me what I was planning to do for Easter. I explained that I didn’t have plans yet, but I was hoping to travel somewhere to make use of the long weekend. He immediately recommended that I visit Ouro Preto. I had never heard of this city, and even after he mentioned that it was in the state of Minas Gerais (which neighbors the state of Rio de Janeiro), I still had no idea where this place was.

When you look up from my apartment building, you can’t ignore the humungous statue poking out of the mountain above us. Indeed, this is Cristo Redento (Christ the Redeemer), one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. Although I’ve always known he was right in my backyard, I didn’t know it was possible to hike straight up the mountain on a trail through the garden that neighbors my apartment. Exploring this trail was one of my favorite things done so far in Brazil.

All IES Abroad students had the privilege to go to Salvador da Bahia together for one weekend. Similar to our trip to Ilha Grande, we were all very excited to travel and explore a new part of Brazil! Both from what we were told beforehand and from what we saw, the culture of Salvador and Bahia is very different form Rio. There is a rich African history there, which brings different foods, dances, music, architecture, and attitudes of people. Also, as with pretty much every place I’ve seen so far in Brazil, it was absolutely beautiful.

Even before coming to Paris, I knew I wanted to participate in the internship program IES Abroad offers. The center has ties with several different businesses within Paris, many of which are small startup companies. As the program is through BIA, the internship and accompanying seminar count for college credit (which is an awesome bonus). For me, it was not just a way to improve my resume, but a way to really understand the entirety of the country, its people, and their culture.

I considered myself to be a fairly thrifty person. My roommate has consistently called me “cheap” the entire time I’ve known her. And while I do splurge occasionally on items, I’m fairly careful with how I spend my money. Throughout my time in France though, I’ve seen my funds dwindle and dwindle to the point where I feel like there must be a hole in my pocket! One thing students rarely keep in mind is how expensive studying abroad is!

One of the courses I am taking at the IES Abroad Center here is called Service Learning. Through this class, we have a once-a-week academic seminar, and the required opportunity to volunteer with a local organization. I was so excited for this opportunity to get out into the city of Rio and be able to form relationships with local people.

After only one week of volunteering, it’s crazy to think about how many benefits I already have seen in my life here.