There are many aspects of studying and living abroad in Paris that I feel are directly shifting pieces of me. There are bits, like how I carry myself walking down the street and how much I sense my heightened independence, which I can directly note as having transformed in these… read more
Global Ambassador
The Changing of Seasons and Kachoufugetsu
When I first arrived in Kyoto, Japan, two weeks ago, my hair stuck to my face anytime I went outside. Carrying groceries under the blazing heat of the sun felt like a momentous task, akin to that of the long walk up the hills of Austin to reach my dorm… read more
The Walk: My London Ritual
It is currently October, and I have yet to go to a single class here in London. After a long summer at home, watching my friends pack their bags and head back to Austin, I was finally on the plane headed to Heathrow, hoping everything would be OK while I… read more
From One -burg to Another
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I appreciate a good metaphor. I find it easier and more enticing to tell a story when you have a key idea — like a life lesson — to center it around. To that end, I’ve been racking my… read more
Hogwarts Looks a Bit Different Here…
I could lie and tell you that I chose to study abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland, because of some sophisticated, mature reason. But the truth is that when I first looked at pictures of the Scottish capital online, I thought it looked like Hogwarts – and as a huge Harry Potter… read more
Reflections in Scotland
One of my favorite things to do is to put the current moment into context with past memories. Two years ago, I was most likely crying on my floor under the weight of the pandemic, starting college and change. One year ago, I moved for the first time and was… read more
Unspoken Rules and Making Friends
Korea is a high-context culture, which means people here communicate implicitly, unlike in the U.S. In Korea, there are a lot of different cultural norms, so foreigners entering this country may have difficulty adjusting, especially since Korea doesn’t explicitly mention these rules in their everyday lives. For example, going to… read more
My Semester in Paris, the Birthplace of Cabaret
Four weeks ago today, I dragged three overstuffed bags up four flights of stairs and dropped into a new life. After catching my breath, I took it all in: This cute apartment in historic Montmartre, the birthplace of cabaret, would be my new home for the foreseeable future. Delighted and… read more
Paradoxes Can Coexist
“I am washing my face before bed while a country is on fire. It feels dumb to wash my face and dumb not to. It has never been this way and it has always been this way. Someone has always clinked a cocktail glass in one hemisphere as someone loses… read more
Questions I Hope to Have Answered by the End of My Stay in Europe’s Capital
Currently, I’m in my fourth week of classes with the IFE (Institute for Field Education) program in Brussels, Belgium. So far, the classes I’ve taken regarding the history, culture, and urbanism of Brussels and Belgium have been incredibly interesting. As a class we get to go to museums, day excursions… read more