Must’ve Been a Fairytale

A magical place. Massive green trees and extremely colorful flowers. A stone path leading to every building. Wooden cabins adorned with fire places and jacuzzis. The constant aroma of a campfire. My program, CIEE, planned a trip for us to Pucón (I prefer to call it “Fairytale Town”) where we had the privilege to stay …

Lo Logramos!

Four hours up and five hours down… An exhaustingly magnificent hike up La Campana, a beautiful mountain situated 2000 meters above sea level. The guides say that it takes the average person 5 hours to reach the top, so why did it only take us 4? Well, please, let me explain. Our incredibly exhausting journey …

Fiestas Patrias in Chile!

  “What are your plans for the 18th?” “Are you ready for the 18th?” “I’m so excited for the 18th!” People were exploding with excitement about THE 18th as I sat in confusion. All I thought was, “Can someone please clarify what in the world THE 18th is?” Very quickly I was able to understand all of these …

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Faithful friends. Furry animals. Fluorescent sun. Fearless snakes. Fierce lions. Fascinating toucans. A day spent at “Parque Safari” filled with new adventures and unforgettable moments. The adventures of the day began with our first Safari where we piled onto what seemed to be an army truck – a truck with cages surrounding us completely. We …

Food, Food, and More Food.

Chileans not only eat a variety of different meals than we eat in the United States, they also have a slightly different meal schedule. A day in Chilean life still calls for three complete meals; however, lunch is to be the largest meal of the day – and I mean very, very large. Lunch is …

My Bustling and Colorful Walk to Class

It blows my mind that I have already spent two weeks in Valparaíso, Chile. The time has flown thanks to my wonderful host family and my extremely colorful walk to class. Living in the middle of the city of Valparaíso – commonly referred to as Valpo by the locals – has introduced me to many …

The Wolves

  This past weekend, I had the pleasure of traveling to one of Spain’s finest national parks: Lago de Sanabria. Even though our program has 35 students, only a select 12 could go, given the awesome, peculiar nature of this trip. We were going to a place of natural solace, a place with distinct beauty, …

Finding Community

Hello there, While being in another country I came to realize that I wanted to find a community. At first, it wasn’t easy looking for a group of people with anything in common. Finding a friend group, a church group, or even a mentor did not just fall into my hands. I will say the …

Eating in Puebla

Hi again, Here in Mexico I have gotten a chance to try many new things, particularly new foods. Coming out to Puebla I realized there was so much I had not even heard of. Having Mexican heritage, Mexican cuisine has never seemed foreign to me. Mexico is so big, it is no surprise that Mexican …

Running with the Bulls

Last week was “El Carnaval” in Spain. Traditionally, this time was designated for the people to, well, purge themselves before Lent. Carnival doesn’t have the same religious implications as it once did, but that doesn’t stop the party. For about a week (sometimes more), people eat, drink, and are merry in celebrations all around the world! Last …