Through the Windshield
For the past six months, I’ve heard a steady stream of advice regarding this next semester abroad: stay hydrated, wear comfortable shoes, take pictures, carry cash, honestly I could dedicate this entire post to all of the tips, tricks, recommendations, and well wishes that have been pouring in from all sides since January. But as my departing flight looms closer, the words that ring loudest in my mind are “You will be a different...
Spanish School
Among all the other wonderful experiences that come with studying abroad, there is also a lot to be learned in the classroom. Not only did I learn so much more about the material covered in the classes that I took, it also really deepened my cultural experience. Being a business major, I took international business and Spanish culture and civilization while abroad. The University I studied at was tailored to students studying abroad....
Abroad in Prague
Academics: I am studying at Anglo American University. It is a small, private university that is taught all in English and located right near the city center. AAU is absolutely beautiful. The interior is filled with intricate molding work and large chandeliers. When I’m there, I feel like I’m in a castle or a fancy house, not a school. For the first three weeks, I took The Legacies of Totalitarianism: Post-Totalitarian Europe. It was...
From Mountains to Sea Level: Back in the U.S.
I’ve now been back in the U.S. for two weeks, and though I was looking forward to spending time with family, it has been an interesting transition. I returned from Peru with an intestinal parasite and haven’t necessarily been living-it-up, but that aside, home has felt different. First and foremost, switching from speaking Spanish 95% of the time for six weeks to English all of the time is a very interesting transition. I...
Highlights Sometimes Cover Up the Struggles
The past two weeks I have hiked 9 different Incan and Pre-Incan ruins, I’ve spoken Spanish 90% of the time, and I’ve explored the places and people of Cusco, Peru and the Sacred Valley. All of this has been a wonderful period of growth both academically and personally, but often times my social media and the points which I mention to friends and family are just the highlight real. There are as many lows as highs and it can...
Living with a Host Family in Cusco, Peru
Initially, when I decided to study abroad one of my biggest concerns was the unknown of a host family. The program said we would get our housing assignments about two weeks before our program date. I did get the information as promised, but the information was an address, the host family’s last name, and a picture of the inside common room – thus it did very little to quell my concerns. My flight arrived at 5 am and I was...