Now that it's fall in Sydney, I'm really grateful my last couple trips were up north where the weather still felt like summer. I didn’t plan my trips like that but, looking back, it worked out really well. Doing Tassie, Melbourne + surf camp in the beginning when it was properly summer was perfect.

WHITSUNDAYS

It’s hard to believe that just about four months ago I was sitting on the floor of my room, trying to figure out what to bring to Granada and how to fit everything in my suitcase. Now that the semester is winding down and I’m starting to think about packing to go home, I thought I’d return to my packing list and apply my experience this semester to some advice about what to bring and not bring. I hope this list is helpful for anyone planning a semester abroad!

Do bring: 

The only thing I cared about going into college was that I could study abroad. Thanks to Washington & Lee (W&L), I’ve been fortunate enough to go for two semesters and a four week spring term course. Each experience has been different (the beauty of study abroad) and I’ve decided to do a comparison between my junior fall at W&L, sophomore spring in Vienna, and junior spring in Sydney.
 

Accommodation
 

W&L: ★★★★★

As a self proclaimed emotional and sensitive gal, the last couple of days in Dublin were a bit tough for me. But in the midst of change and big feelings, it is important to remember the things and the people who made the place great. Here are mine!

Friends, friends, and more friends:

My favorite memories from Easter at home are the spring weather, egg hunts and waking up to see a basket waiting for me on the fireplace. Last year I spent Easter in Vienna and this year I was in Australia. Easter was different this year for sure, but it was one I will never forget. 
 

DAY ONE

When I thought about sharing my love for dance as part of my study abroad experience, I wasn't sure if it would resonate with others. But then I realized two important things: first, sharing something genuine might connect with someone out there, even if it's not about dance. And second, dance was a big part of why I chose Buenos Aires for my study abroad journey. Considering the amount of hours I spend in practice weekly, I think that my blogs would be incomplete without mentioning it. 

                  Amsterdam is a dense, bustling city, with maze-like alleys and hordes of people marveling at its historic streets. Amsterdam’s unique city features, namely its tall, narrow, and crooked houses, are largely what attract tourists to the city, teleporting them back nearly four centuries into Amsterdam’s “Golden Age” when their colonial rule stretched the whole world and the city prospered as a result.

I’ll start this by saying I do not like heights. At summer camp I loathed the climbing wall. If I get seated too high up at football games I get nervous. Even hikes with what would be stunning views have made me miserable. All of this to say, climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge was not on my study abroad bucket list. I watched Phil Dunphy pursue the climb in Modern Family and that was enough for me.