Best Part of the Day

Spanish word of the day: merienda Translation: snack…but that doesn’t do it justice. Merienda is one of the best parts of the day. While it’s not an “official” meal, it is common practice to have a snack and a drink around four or five in the afternoon. Sweets are definitely the most popular during merienda. …

Villa Ocampo

Spanish word of the day: escritora Translation: author (who is a woman) Villa Ocampo is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Argentina. It was the summer home of one Victoria Ocampo, who was a gamechanger for women authors. Not only did she decide to write in a time where it was a job …

A Little Bit of History

Spanish Word of the Day: desaparecido Translation: missing La Plaza de Mayo is one of the most important places in Buenos Aires. Bold claim, I know. It’s not necessarily because of any particular thing that the Plaza has. It’s because of how it’s used in this day and age. … Protests are very common in …

Castaway in Paradise

My Reflections on Island Life It’s been exactly 60 days since I set foot on a flight from Chicago to Quito, Ecuador. 58 days since arriving in San Cristóbal Island. If you’ve ever been on a flight toward an unfamiliar country, you’ll know the feeling of butterflies right before you step off the plane. That …

Leftovers for a Week

Spanish word of the day: cocinar Translation: To cook! When I first was planning my semester in Argentina, one of the first things that I looked into was the cuisine: what are some common Argentinian dishes, anyway? To my delight, there were so many food items that sounded delicious. Not to mention, there’s a lot …

About Time!

Spanish word of the day: VAMOS Translation: LET’S GO! Wow. I am in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I keep on having little moments where I realize that I’m here. Walking to the park, sitting at a bar, watching the sun rise in a sky scraper. I’m here! But it hasn’t sunk in that I’ll be staying …

Nature is My Classroom

I knew coming into the Galapagos program that I would get hands-on learning experiences in biology. I never expected it to this degree, and I am beyond grateful for the unique learning opportunities this program provides. Regardless of your track, you may land in an impermanent classroom that’s always on the move. Sure, you may …

Packing Mistakes Were Made

Because there’s a whole lot of stuff the pamphlets don’t tell you! I spent months preparing for my study abroad program in the Galapagos, read every packing list I could find, in efforts of arriving to the Galapagos fully prepared for any situation. I got a lot of things right, but I also got a …

This One is for the Coffee Enthusiasts!

Turns out there’s a whole lot of biology behind that latte… While my program track is Evolution, Ecology and Conservation, I’m in a climate change class for the next three weeks from the Sustainability track in my study abroad program. Monday through Thursday, we have 3 hr. long lectures at the Galapagos Science Center. On …

The Little Things

Spanish Word of the Day: La Meta Translation: A Goal or Aim If there’s anything I were to say about preparing to study abroad, it’s that it can be . . . chaotic, to say the least. And it’s all in the little things. There’s an abundance of details to write down, all strung across …