For the duration of the summer, I’ve been blessed with an opportunity to intern with House of Bacoro, a cosmetic store in the center of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. On the surface, House of Bacoro is a mere beauty supply store, but if you dig a little deeper into… read more
Global Ambassador
Summer in Copenhagen
Getting acclimated It took a while to get comfortable in Denmark because it was so different from what I experienced in the U.S. Firstly, I rented a bike for my commute to class and around the city. The biking culture in Denmark is intense. Everyone seemed to be a professional… read more
Chilean Connections
I had never been outside the U.S. before my current Education Abroad program in Santiago, Chile. While I’ve taken some trips around the country, most of my experiences stem from the same Texas suburb. Therefore, when family or friends asked what I was looking forward to before embarking, I had… read more
The City of Music
There is not a single city that I have found myself in that devotes itself so fiercely to the arts as Vienna does. With the military decline of the Habsburg empire, Vienna suddenly found itself pushed to look inward and cultivate its own culture, and it certainly shows. In the… read more
Art, Gelato and New Friends
I arrived in Rome on May 31 after a 15-hour flight. It was 8 a.m. in Rome, and I had been awake since 5 a.m. Mountain Time. Additionally, I needed to stay awake through the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) orientation to avoid further jet lag. I… read more
It’s Okay to Slow Down
I have about two months left in my exchange program in Japan, and I’ve already been here for two months. Coming from immigrant parents and growing up in a small border town, I would have never thought I’d be studying abroad in a country more than 6,000 miles away. Before… read more
Beauty in Every Corner
High on mountain peaks, I gazed and longed to linger, admiring cherry blossoms. How the ceaseless winds must be caressing them now. This poem, written in the Heian period by an anonymous poet in waka style, perfectly captures the emotions I’ve experienced… read more
Embracing Spontaneity
Throughout my life, I’ve always been a planner. I’ve always had every detail to the second written down, organized and filed. I rarely make plans at the last second or embark on something when I don’t know all the details. It’s just how I’m wired. However, my way of organizing… read more
What Makes You Special?
As the lovely cherry blossoms have gently taken flight with the breeze, I face the harsh reality that my time in South Korea is, unfortunately, not going to last forever. I’ve made amazing and unforgettable friends who have made me feel welcome and safe. I think about the ways my… read more
Finding My Pace
I have been in Taiwan for three months now. As I reflect on the past two months, I realized they have taught me a lot about endurance and joy. Through the overwhelming and stressful moments, I learned to not let them determine my outlook on my circumstances or my life… read more
