Across the city and into the bush, I've been engaging with music — new and old — to enhance my focus and provide a bit of company in my solitary practice of studying. With exams quickly approaching, I've taken to the quiet floors of The University of Auckland's towering library. I outline essays while overlooking on Symonds Street; Albert Park's population lays on the green while I review my lecture outlines. Music has always scored chunks of my life — and my time abroad is no different. Here, I highlight the albums and songs that are permanently affixed to Aotearoa New Zealand!

These first couple days of the year 5785 have been like no other Rosh Hashanah I’ve experienced. Typically, I spend the holiday at home — I go to services throughout the day, embrace the beautiful beginning-of-autumn weather by going on long walks, take the occasional nap, and eat big, festive meals with my extended family. I associate the holiday with comfort, community, and a beautiful balance of newness (after all, it’s the new year) and tradition.

Choosing the best moments from my time in Quito is incredibly difficult, but here is my attempt at choosing some of the most memorable.  

The Famous Gaston: Yes, the USFQ campus has a pig! And he is sooo pampered. We even got to walk him, but he’s not a very good walker and won’t move once he finds a patch of grass he likes.

As someone who was deciding whether or not to travel abroad, I found the “day in the life” blogs to be super helpful. Unfortunately there weren’t a lot of these from Quito or the Galapagos Islands and everyone’s experiences are different. I hope to help others figure out if studying abroad here is a good fit for them. I will also write “Day in the Life in Galapagos” as I develop a routine after being on San Cristóbal Island for a few weeks, so stay tuned!