My semester in Berlin fundamentally changed who I am and the way I think about the world. I learned to love solo traveling, became inspired by Berlin’s creative scene, and met people from across the world. I also gained much more nuanced opinions about urban planning, international relations, and cultural differences. These are all things that I will carry with me as I finish my education and move into my career.

Hi everybody, I’m Jason and I’ll be blogging my experiences in Berlin this summer. As I sit here writing this, I am not yet in Berlin but in the comfort of my home near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It’s surreal, knowing that I made a decision last year to go abroad somewhat on a whim. I had been doing research on what to expect out of an internship abroad and the city of Berlin, but I was never able to find enough information that warranted the leap of faith. So, I took the jump anyway and now, here I am a few days away from boarding a flight and starting a new chapter in my life.

Hello, hello, hello! We have reached the end of my journey in Berlin and this is my final blog. I'm going to share, as well as revisit, some of my biggest tips if you are going to study abroad! As I said in my last blog, I have learned so much from being in Berlin for these past four months. I believe that these tips are what really made my time better and got me through not being at home for such a long period of time. I am so grateful for the experience and I hope that you too will be able to take in the study abroad opportunities for all they have to offer!

I cannot believe how fast my time in Siena went. As I pack up my room, I keep remembering what it felt like in my first few days as I put up my decorations and picture frames and made this place feel like home. Now, a piece of my heart will always be in Tuscany. 

As I prepare to leave, I thought I would share some lessons I have learned during my time abroad. Studying and living in Siena has been a transformative experience that has taught me so much about myself, others, and the world around me.

As my time is coming to an end in Siena, I wanted to write about some of my favorite places I saw in Italy and share some photos. While the city was incredible, I loved taking the Friday through Sunday weekends to see as much of the country as I could while I was living in Tuscany. While there is even more I wish I saw, hopefully some of my recommendations you will find helpful in your future travel plans!