In the past few months, I’ve been completing all the important, and at times tedious, tasks: getting University of Auckland courses approved for transfer credit at my home institution, applying for a visa, and last-minute shopping/tasks.

Something I’ve come to love about my lifestyle since arriving in Australia is my openness to try new things. The way I see it, I have less than 5 months here and I want to make the most of it. The only problem is, why don’t I view life with that mindset every day? Why can I not appreciate every day and recognize how little time I have when I am at home or at school?

Bonjour! 

It has officially been more than a month since my arrival in the South of France. Time flies when you’re having fun. I finally feel settled in and I have learned my way around Nice. I know the route to school like the back of my hand. I have tried countless coffee shops and cafés. Each day, I feel more confident ordering my cappuccino in French!

I have officially been in class for about two weeks now. Although the city’s charm hasn’t worn off yet, the reality of living alone is definitely starting to set in. I remember one of the questions asked during the pre-departure orientation meeting was if meal plans were available, and I kid you not, the answer was something along the lines of meal plans being a strictly “American concept”. This meant that I had to be in charge of my own meals for the entirety of my stay.

Hi! My name is Autumn Larsen, and thank you for reading my blog! I’ll be writing about and reflecting upon my experiences as a U.S. American studying abroad in Freiburg, Germany, in order to preserve the memories I make and educate fellow students who are also considering studying abroad.