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
President’s Award for Global Learning: Galápagos Islands
The President’s Award for Global Learning empowers students and faculty to examine real-world interdisciplinary topics while incorporating in-country learning into the classroom experience. This guest post recaps the experiences of the 2021-2022 team that explored sustainability in the Galápagos Islands. Students are invited to apply for the 2022-2023 projects in… 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
The Hardest Decisions Create the Greatest Outcomes
I’m going to be honest: the closer I got to my flight date to leave Texas and go to Mexico, the more I doubted I would board the plane. The summer was two months full of obstacles with registration, health clearances and personal things coming up a week before take-off.… read more
Why I Traveled All the way to Australia to Learn German
When you study abroad, it is inevitable that you will face challenges and sometimes be pushed out of your comfort zone. That’s one of the great things about studying abroad. These challenges are what allow you to grow and learn from the experience. In my 5 weeks so far… read more
