Rustic. 

Trite, on-the-nose. Perhaps already the first word one conjures when imagining Tuscany. 

But this word suits Siena too well for me to begin with any other. 

At twenty years old, I would say that I have already lived through some incredibly significant and historical times. Very early into the pandemic, I knew I would have the privilege of repeating my experiences to future generations.

Recently, I was placed right into the middle of history very early into my stay in the United Kingdom. As me and some friends were leaving to go out, one of them asked me, “Did you hear the Queen died?” I had not, and to my sadness I looked this up and saw more and more articles announcing the news.

I have been in Berlin for almost two whole weeks now, and I think the city is unhappy about that. 

Week one in Ireland.

As I’m writing this, I am quietly celebrating the one-week anniversary of my arrival in Rome. But, to be honest with you, all of the exploring, meeting new people and eating has made my first week feel like my first month! Don’t worry, this is a good thing. Within the first few days I’ve already seen some of Rome’s major landmarks and have explored multiple neighborhoods. By the time classes started today, I was really comfortable commuting and getting around.

Hello everyone! Now that I’m officially in Rabat and two weeks into my program, I wanted to share my experiences and key takeaways from the on-site orientation program in Meknes. This series of events ended up being so crucial to helping me settle into life in Morocco and taught me five essential lessons to carry into the future.

Takeaway Number 5: Be in Touch with How You’re Feeling and Your Boundaries