From having access to various delicious foods to exploring the different facets of Sydney's nightlife, my time spent abroad was nothing short of extraordinary and unforgettable. However, upon reminiscing about my time away from home, I’ve decided to rank and choose the most memorable moments amongst the masses of unforgettable memories I’ve already made. While making this list was extremely difficult (cue the one bead of sweat rolling down my face), here’s what I would deem my top five! 

I have officially been in Aotearoa New Zealand for one month! After hilariously landing on the 4th of July — cue the fireworks! — I already feel at home, only a handful of weeks into IES Abroad’s program. As much as I would love to say it’s been all sunshine and rainbows, that would be far from the truth.

Hello, IES Abroad blog readers! Welcome to my first ever post. My name is Brooke (she/her/hers) and I am a rising junior at Davidson College, originally from Winston Salem, NC. As I write this, I am simultaneously enjoying my summer and constantly checking to make sure I am as ready as I think I am for a semester abroad in Amsterdam. For someone who isn't the greatest at planning, combined with my limited traveling experience, the weeks leading up to my study abroad experience are both exciting and nerve racking.

I’ve shed jet lag, but it took a week. I woke up at 10 yesterday, which is funny, because the first time I’ve slept past 8 I of course had a doctor’s appointment (zoom) in half an hour. I was still tired after that, so I did more of my latest favorite thing to do, which is to sit in front of a fan with a book and the cat.

They say that time flies when you're having fun, and despite the many ups and downs that I've experienced during my internship stay in Berlin, it's safe to say these two months felt like little more than two minutes. 

My flight from Barcelona landed in Miami almost a week ago. Since then, life has been a lot calmer than it was for most of the summer: I go to bed early, unpack my suitcases bit by bit, prepare myself for classes, which will start soon, and spend a lot of time catching up on Love Island USA. I miss Barcelona endlessly, especially the friends I met there and how cheap the chocolate croissants were.