Vado a Roma! This spring, I’ll be living and studying in the beautiful country of Italy; cozying up in family-owned restaurants, stumbling through my shaky Italian, meeting new people, along with studying journalism, and the world around us. Italy has inspired some of the greatest artists, thinkers, and prolific figures for centuries, and as famous opera composer Giuseppe Verdi said, “You may have the world, if I may have Italy.”
As I’m nearing my second exam cycle and checking off my pre-departure requirements, I know it can be hard to balance planning for going abroad with being present in your normal academic life. I just want to share a couple of things I’ve found helpful in getting a better balance between school work, social life, and preparing for study abroad, and I hope they’re useful for you!
Two weeks to go until I leave for Rabat and already I can see the city in my mind! In this whirlwind of anticipation, anxiety, and elation, all I can think about is what I’m going to wear. The Moroccan environment will not be one I’m used to, with intense heat and humidity. My summer wardrobe, though great for the heat, is unfortunately not up to the modesty standards of the country. So step one? We’re going shopping. Linens, light cottons, anything lightweight that’ll cover my shoulders. Next up? Vaccinations.
Preparing to study abroad in Quito is the next step in the choppy, messy, adventurous, life I have chosen to live over the past several years. It started when I delayed going to college for a year and decided to work at home and travel in Chile. Then the pandemic threw a wrench into the flow of the world, cutting my school year off abruptly and sending me home. Naturally, I took advantage of the situation and moved to Colorado, where I learned to live independently and create my own adventure. Back in D.C.
Journal Entry - November 11th 2022:
It is the beginning of November, and this morning was the one where the reality of study abroad finally set in. I cried twice. I smiled even more.
“Studying abroad will change your life! Make sure to have fun and make lots of memories!” If I had a dollar for every time someone said this to me, I would probably have enough to pay for my flight. Ok… that may not be entirely true but the emphasis is still there! As I sit here reflecting on this ever-present cliché, thinking in disbelief about how my flight is next week and I have yet to start packing, I can 100% say that I’m pretty nervous.
Remember when Vader told Luke that he was his father? Yeah that was about my reaction when I found out I might have to reschedule my independent travel plans due to delays processing my student visa. At the time it seemed like a great idea. After all, my semester abroad in Milan started five days after my birthday, so why not take advantage of the extra time to travel western Europe? Visa appointments were also made optional, meaning I could mail in my application to the Italian Consulate.
After asking myself where I wanted to go abroad, and what that process looked like, these were my to-do's to get there:
(Apart from the IES Abroad website, advisors, emails, orientations, etc.)
I leave for Milan tomorrow. For what felt like ages, I felt dread building up inside me and I was afraid it wouldn’t stop snowballing. I knew I’d be leaving my comfort zone, meeting new people, and speaking a language I’m far from fluent in, all while farther from my friends and family than I’ve ever been. But now as I’m counting down the hours to my departure, to my own astonishment, I’m actually far more confident than I expected I’d be.
Hello everyone, I’m Matt. I’ll be studying Political Science and Economics at Trinity College in Dublin this semester and I’m here to share my experience with you all. I’ll be blogging about academics, daily life in Dublin, traveling, and the highs and lows of studying abroad.