Giants the size of cities live in Tibet. They’re hidden, of course, underneath vast, thick blankets of yellow and brown topsoil, sparse shrubbery, and the occasional concrete road, but they’re there—sleeping. Underneath their godlike bedding, they look like mountains to us, so that’s what we call them. Their bodies sprawl for miles, creating long, breathtaking ranges, and at night their gargantuan heads quickly emerge to drink from startling blue glacial rivers in serpentine valleys.

On South Africa’s Women’s Day, which fell on a Friday, my roommate Rachel and I decided to take advantage of our day off from school and head to the city to do some exploring. It was an extremely beautiful day, and I really wanted to check out the colorful neighborhood of Bo-Kaap. The bustling neighborhood is situated upon an incline just below Signal Hill, and is one of the most colorful places I have ever been to. I loved every minute of walking around in the friendly neighborhood, taking pictures of all of the cool little homes.

As I sit here on my last day of work I am anxious, nervous, and most of all excited for my journey to Milan to begin in just a few short days.  After traveling to Dubai In January the travel bug hit me and I knew I wanted to spend a semester abroad.  After researching and dreaming of cities and countries I would love to travel to I found Milan.

As many of you already know, a few weeks ago marked the Discover Channel’s annual ‘Shark Week,’ which many, including myself, obsess over. The network broadcasts a week’s worth of high-quality shark footage shot all over the world. At the very end of this past Shark Week, I had the privilege to go shark cage diving in Gansbaai’s “Shark Alley,” with one of the guys who films for Shark Week.

And the exploration begins! If you enjoy an active lifestyle, you will be happy to find many opportunities for physical activity here in Quito. I live within walking distance of both schools I attend (IES center and PUCE), and though I can take a bus most of the time, like to walk when I get the chance. The weather seems to be stuck in an eternal spring temperature wise, and can be sunny, cloudy, rainy, hot, and cold all in one day.

Here are a couple shots from the first week here in Ecuador. Here, the custom is to eat large breakfasts and lunch, and either nothing or just a snack of bread/sandwiches and coffee for dinner. The light and colors at this lunch were just too pretty and picturesque to resist breaking out my camera and taking these couple shots. Pictured are tomate de arbole (tree tomato) juice, avocado salad, rice, and steak.

I think most people, even if they haven’t come close to starting to pack, have at least glanced at the IES Master Packing List.  If you’re like me, you looked at it weeks ago, and already have your suitcase with most of your things inside sitting on your bedroom floor.  Such advance planning– am I just too excited to wait and a little obsessive compulsive? Sure.  Am I also just really intimidated and a little bewildered by the sparseness of the packing list? Definitely.