New Adventures in Oaxaca!

Bienvenidos! It’s been a minute since my last blog post – these past few weeks have been crazy. Amidst classwork, excursions, and exploring Oaxaca, I haven’t found much time to breathe! My program consists of nine weeks of classes, followed by a short break, and then a month of an internship or an ISP (independent …

I’m in Oaxaca!

Bienvenidos! I have officially been abroad for four weeks through SIT’s Migration, Borders, and Transnational Communities program! While the first week of our program started in Tucson, Arizona, I have officially been in Oaxaca, Mexico for three weeks now, and I’m excited to begin sharing insights into my life abroad through the Off-Campus Study Blog! …

And That’s A Wrap

It’s been two weeks now since the program ended, and I write this final post back at my house, surrounded by my family, my cats, and a roaring fire to fight the Illinois cold. The program ended in a blur after arriving to Baños for our final retreat. While there, we took some time to …

Ecuador, At A Glance

If you’ve been following me along with the semester so far, you’ve probably noticed a gap in my posts upon arriving to Ecuador. Time (as well as my 15 page research paper) caught up to me, but I’ll do my best to recap the whirlwind of the last month now! 45 straight hours of travel …

Nepal Vol. II

After the main two days of the Dashain festival were over, we jumped back into classes with a few exciting site visits. First, we headed to the Nepali World Wildlife Foundation headquarters to learn about their mission and projects as an NGO. Afterward, we headed to what was probably one of my favorite site visits …

A letter to IES Santiago Spring 2023, Thank you.

As my time in Santiago reached its end, I found myself very sentimental.  Upon going to Chile, I had a lot of doubts and questions for myself. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make friends when naturally I am more of an introvert who only has a handful of very close friends. But …

Discovering Marilyn.

Spring 2023 participants: students and professors What can I expect from studying abroad?  Expect the unexpected. Go with an open mind. Have a goal or two to accomplish. Be willing to change your perspective and be surprised.  I knew that studying abroad, I would participate in a program that was well-suited for me, but I …

The Activity That Lives Rent Free in My Memories

Images of street art seen during walks in the city: What are some things to do while abroad? Would I get bored or will I see it all quickly?  You will definitely not get bored or see it all quickly. You will have a lot to explore and will find many things to do during …

Involvement and Immersion with the Local Community!

What are ways to be immersed in the local community? Can you be involved?  The answer to both questions is yes for my study abroad program. Right off the bat, the Spring 2023 students were introduced to “Club Chileno” during our orientation. Club Chileno were local university students who would plan activities, accompany us during …

An insight into the Health Studies Program!

So what is the health studies program?  As I’ve mentioned many times, I studied abroad with IES, specifically participating in their health studies program. I knew that if I got the chance to study abroad, then it would be somewhere in South America. I also wanted to go on a program that felt unique and …