Imagine a place with lush rolling hills of green trees surrounding small towns lined with fortresses and churches from medieval times. This is Umbria in a nutshell. Despite being one of the coolest places I’ve ever been to, I might have not visited the region if it weren’t for IES Abroad’ built-in overnight trips in the program tuition.

Whenever anyone chooses to study abroad, they’re going to get different reactions from all the various people in their lives. That’s normal! Some people are supportive, others less so, it’s a spectrum. 

However, this difference felt exponentially more apparent when I decided to study abroad in Morocco. The fact that I was going to study abroad in an African country, especially one affiliated with the Middle East/North Africa, inspired a wild variety of conflicting reactions.

When I came to Oxford, I knew that I wanted to make time to do some more travel while I was here. My goal was to see as much as I could during my study abroad experience because I do not know when I’ll find myself in this part of the world again.

For myself, I knew I wanted a chance to visit continental Europe. I also knew I did not want to leave Oxford and my studies for too long, so I decided to try and plan a day trip for myself. One of the cities I wanted to visit the most in Europe was Geneva, Switzerland. 

I sincerely apologize for the late post y’all. It's because..I’ve been having a really good time? It feels weird to say. After so much adjusting, extremely weird news and obstacles, and navigating the dumpster fire that is the university I attend here..I’m really happy!! 

It’s that kind of calm contentment you get when you feel at peace with your situation. I no longer feel on edge or exhausted at the end of every single day. 

            Being abroad is an exciting experience and spending only a semester abroad—especially when your favorite professor likes to remind you that there is only 60 days left—can feel like there is not enough time to do everything you want to do. I certainly feel that way, like there is just so much to do and not enough time. As mindful as I have tried to be of my own health, there is a level of adrenaline that can be deceiving and lead to unfortunate circumstances.

One thing that travel teaches you is flexibility, especially when dealing with budget airlines like RyanAir. I have been learning French since sixth grade; it fostered my love of learning languages. Communicating with French people in their native language is something that I find very rewarding, and so I was very excited to jet off to Marseille for the weekend with my roommate. I had been brainstorming all week of fun things to do in the area, soaking up the sunshine and sand of the south of France. 

            Hello, friend, it’s good to have you back. Today, I’ll write about a few shops around Dublin where you can find good items, going from clothing to food. Because my budget is limited, my blog will be focused around affordable businesses.

            After being in Ireland for a month, I’ve spent much time in cities close to Dublin for day trips, less than a two hour bus ride or a DART away. For those who don’t want to go out for a full weekend or can’t afford to do so, these are five towns I’ve been to, and where I’ve spent less than 15 euros at each location.

Howth

Last week, I officially moved into St. Catherine’s College here in Oxford. As I mentioned in my last post, it was difficult to leave London after so many wonderful memories. Arriving at Oxford, there was a definite shift in pace, and we knew we were here to learn.