I’ve been home for two weeks now, and my time abroad already feels like a long time ago. It went by so quickly, but when I look back at photos I realize how much I actually did get to experience. There are definitely still items on my NZ bucket list, but those are for a future trip. For now, I thought I would share some photos of experiences abroad that I didn’t necessarily get to blog about. These include adventures around Christchurch; trips all over the South Island; and even the IES Abroad field trip to Rarotonga, Cook Islands; as well as a quick trip to Melbourne, Australia.

Even when attending school in your home country, housing is a big deal. Good (or bad) roommates and housing amenities can significantly affect your semester experience. Thankfully, I thought the IES Abroad housing in Christchurch (called Ilam Apartments, located in the Ilam district) was a lot nicer than any college housing I’ve experienced in the US. (See for yourself in the photos below!) I shared the flat with four other people (who all happened to be women but I knew people with co-ed flats too) and we all had our own room.

I have to confess my classes abroad haven’t received the same amount of attention that they usually do back home. When you’re in a different country where new and exciting experiences are right on your doorstep, it can be difficult to convince your brain to stay in and study instead of going to the beach, doing an overnight tramp, finding new food and entertainment around Christchurch, or spending time with new friends, etc.

July 8th, 2023 12:40 p.m. I’m currently sitting next to a window on my flight out of Dublin. I have about an hour left and I’ve spent a lot of this flight thinking about my trip as a whole. Six weeks have felt like it both flew by and like it has been a year. I know this is something everybody says, but studying abroad is an experience I will hold with me for the rest of my life. There were so many components to this trip that I wasn’t expecting or even ready for, but I’m so grateful for every single one of them.

Well, my time here in Dublin is coming to an end, and with that comes showcase week at the Gaiety School of Acting! It was such an eventful and enjoyable week, so let me walk you through what my last few days looked like!