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Well, it's about that time, the dreaded midterms week. And with that comes a dilemma for all my friends and I. How do we have time to study when we travel every weekend?
Today I am going to highlight the challenges of staying focused and doing schoolwork while studying abroad. As much fun it is to travel the world, it is important to know what you signed up for and how to stay focused in your classes.
Instant Gratification vs. Long Term Goals
When I told my family and friends that I wanted to study abroad in London they were so excited for me and incredibly supportive. They encouraged me while I worriedly set my plans into motion and celebrated with me when those plans came together successfully. Before I left Hope’s college campus in Holland, Michigan, they gave me hugs, well wishes…and ADVICE! It makes me smile to think of all the different kinds of advice the people around me gave me including tips based on past experience, ideas they had come across from passing travelers and anything else they could think of.
I’ve known I wanted to visit the Alhambra pretty much since I decided to study abroad in Granada, and it’s one of the things almost everyone I mentioned my study abroad plans to brought up. No surprise there, since this palace/fortress/garden complex, parts of which date back to the 9th century, is probably Granada’s most famous landmark. Having seen it from many angles while walking around the city, I’ve been really looking forward to getting to see the inside.
This past month in Sydney has been nothing short of dreamy. Already I surfed at sunrise, hiked through a Jurassic Park-like jungle, and explored the many beaches scattered throughout the city. Most importantly I enjoyed the food. A lot. Specifically, the seafood and the freshness that comes with living by the ocean. Which is why for my first blog post, I wanted to share a few of my favorite meals.
Being an international student and adapting to a new country comes with a myriad of challenges. I feel like I have been handling them pretty well so far; I’ve been to all my classes, submitted everything on time, and managed to get out and explore my new home. However, one unexpected hurdle that seemed to really catch me off guard was catching a common cold. Despite being told to bring medicine with me, I didn’t listen. Little did I know that little mistake would’ve caused a whole week of discomfort.
My fitness obsession during my semester in Europe was Supercycle Vienna (I miss it dearly). In Sydney, I have been working my way through different intro offers at the pilates studios nearby. Below is a list of three studios I have tried and a short recap of my experience at each.
Offer: 3/$30
Distance from UNSW: 18 minute walk
As the midday sun ascended the sky in its zenith, and the train slowed down and gradually came to a stop, the barren terrain had morphed into an assortment of terracotta buildings stacked next to each other in every earthen shade. In the distance, the silhouette of the Atlas mountains peaked in the horizon. With its conical turrets and geometric designs in every earthen hue–red sandstone, golden amber, sienna, and burnt ochre—it seemed as if I had been transported to a mythical land out of the pages of A Thousand and One Nights.