Reminiscing and Returning Home

It’s crazy to think I’ve already returned from Sydney. I feel like it was just yesterday I was landing at the Sydney airport, meeting my internship coordinator for the first time and fighting jet lag. Now I’ve returned to a life of sweet tea, lots of queso, and free to-go cups. 

Has your IES Abroad program come to an end, but you want to keep exploring?  Do you want to take advantage of the time you have outside of the US?  There are so many opportunities post-program if you’ve caught the travel bug & aren’t quite ready for that flight home yet!  From staying in Santiago to exploring Chile to checking out the rest of South America, this post will dive into some of the options for post-program adventures – including my personal travel plan after my time in Santiago.

During my 2 months abroad in Chile, I interned at a school assisting in English classes and performing social work duties.  What I didn’t realize going in was that about halfway through my program all schools would be on winter break for 2.5 weeks.  If you’re in a similar position to where I was, here’s a guide to some of my favorite things I did during my time off, as well as some tips to transition smoothly from work to vacation and back again :)

Studying abroad is such an exciting experience that will certainly be full of amazing friendships, hilarious memories, and unforgettable experiences.  However, not every day is a walk in the park, and that’s totally normal!  Moving to another country for any period of time is bound to have some sort of impact on your body, whether that’s physical, mental, or emotional.  Thankfully, IES Abroad provides a ton of information right up front to help you deal with any bumps in the road during your program.  Today, I’m going to introduce you to some of the resources available t

In many IES Abroad programs, including the summer internship in Chile, you have some time off that’s perfect for traveling outside the city! In my case, we had a long weekend about halfway through our program — so a group of my friends and I decided to take a trip up north to the Atacama Desert. We spent four days exploring San Pedro de Atacama and visiting the surrounding areas, including geysers, massive valleys, dunes, and more.

Last May, I made my journey back from Italy to the United States the evening before graduation. I arrived just in time as my cap and gown were already at home waiting for me courtesy of my mother. I returned to campus, still jetlagged and bewildered over what had transpired during the last six months. I had been all over the world, made new friends, and made memories that would last a lifetime. I had stepped out of my comfort zone and done things I didn't believe I was capable of. I took classes at Italian University and traveled to places like Dubai and Ibiza. I had grown.