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
Global Ambassador
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
Shifting My Personal Focus
Last December, I had a scare that almost prevented me from going abroad: In order to get acceptance from my international university, I had to send a copy of my passport. I had applied for renewal a couple months before, but it still hadn’t come in the mail. I received… read more
Taking the First Step
Throughout high school, studying abroad was always something that interested me. My mom instilled a love for traveling in me at a young age, so the thought of going out and exploring Europe felt like a clear decision. There is so much to see, and studying abroad is a unique… read more
Responsibility Abroad
I have a funny relationship with responsibility. I don’t have a planner, I arrive late to mostly everything and I procrastinate fastidiously. I allot just enough downtime to be punctual, then miss the mark because of a misplaced wallet hunt or inconvenient house return. My lack of responsibility has been… read more
Irish Classrooms: What I’ve Gained
When I get home from studying abroad, I know what questions to expect: “Where did you go?” “How was the food?” “What about the weather?” I’m happy to answer all of them, but I’m also eager to talk about an (ironically) less popular subject, which is academics. For those of… read more
What to Expect When Not Expecting
Entering the semester, I, along with every other exchange student, came in with certain expectations. Whether those expectations were met or not is irrelevant. In retrospect, the most important facet of the exchange experience is the unexpected. Throughout my time in Bristol, I have encountered unanticipated situations, people and experiences.… read more
A Sojourner: My Way
At 5:00 one morning, I was abruptly awoken by the ringing of my alarm clock. The pitch-black sky outside the slats of my blinds made me want to indulge in more sleep, but I managed to get out of bed. Soon after I woke up, I savored two delectable chocolate… read more