A Whole Lot of Everything

Quote of the week: “If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” – H.G. Wells It has been a minute since I had the time to write an update. But to be honest, not much has happened in the past few weeks. The burnout of the long days has started to set in. That does not …

Sidewalks

I prepared for the major cultural differences before coming to Jordan. I knew that I would have to dress more conservatively than I do in the U.S., and I expected to struggle to communicate in Arabic. There are bunches of little cultural differences that are impossible to prepare for, though. Jordanian beds usually don’t have …

Four Countries, One Week

Hello from Ireland, Wales, and Italy, although by the time this is published, I’ll be back in England! At Liverpool Hope University (LHU), terms are split into four weeks of class followed by a reflective week. Reflective weeks are weeks without classes intended for students to catch up on work, study, research, or rest. This …

“A Song for a Different Dance”: A short note on FOMO

On the train from Berlin back to Prague, a girl in my program said she hadn’t done her homework yet, but that was a “song for a different dance.”  I’d never heard this phrase before and it charmed me immediately. While she used it to refer to her homework, it applies to many aspects of …

Christmas in Japan

It has been awhile since my last post, but the adventures keep on coming! It is already halfway through January, but Christmas in Japan has left quite an impression on me. While Christmas is a big deal in the United States, in Japan it’s a much more (extremely) commercial, just-for-fun kind of holiday. Class is …

From Sand to Snow… Final Thoughts

I have returned to the US and am sitting in my childhood bedroom with my dog. Sitting in the same spot where these ideas of travelling began to form. A few years later, I have lived the dream. I surfed. I scuba dived on the Great Barrier Reef. I held koalas and pat kangaroos. I …

Chapter 9: a day in the life

song: walking on sunshine Hi all! Today I am walking you through a day in my life as a study abroad student in Barcelona, Spain.  Since it’s Monday, I wake up around 8:00 am to get ready then leave for the train station at 8:45 am. Then, I board the train to take me to …

Chapter 8: seeking help

song: dream a little dream of me ¡hola a todos!  I am writing to you after a long conversation with my mom (it was good, not to worry) and a game plan in mind. Let me start from the beginning. It all started in my “Self & Identity in a Postmodern World” class. The task …

Chapter 7: Madrid!

song: put your records on Well, friends, time is flying. I hope this season is treating you well. Today is the day that I share about my trip to Madrid, the lovely capital of Spain.  On a hazy warm morning, we boarded a sleek silver train to Madrid. After about seven hours, we hopped off …

Art of Chile

After my health scare, I am recovering and have found joy in exploring the city. The IES program was an immersive experience. Whether sitting through classes, developing conversations, or observing everyday life, I was challenged to consider the past, present and future of Chile. My program connected my academic interests to my personal ones. In …