My abiding feeling while studying abroad has been gratitude. The opportunities I’ve had this semester while studying at Sciences Po in Paris, France, are mind-boggling. A text I sent at the start of the year after bombarding my friends with the new and beautiful things I’d seen so far… read more
Exchange Programs
No Pasa Nada (Don’t Worry About It)
Before I had even landed in Madrid, I’d unconsciously set expectations for myself and my time abroad: My Spanish would progress like never before, I’d meet many new people, travel every weekend, make unforgettable memories, and transform into this worldly person. In some sense, most of that happened—just not in… read more
An Overexcited Student’s Guide to London Public Transportation
Anyone who has talked to me knows it. It takes about five minutes, on average, for me to bring up public transportation in a conversation. From the ease of not having to deal with traffic to the unique experience of sitting with a bunch of strangers going somewhere, I could… read more
Bajo el Sol de Mexico (Under the Mexican Sun)
The golden light from the setting sun illuminated the city built on the mountains, and I fell in love. I have to admit, even though it was a short flight from Texas to Mexico, I was nervous about traveling alone for the first time in my life. The thought… read more
Time Is A Circle
A few months ago, I finished reading Gabriel García Márquez’s novel “One Hundred Years of Solitude.” A recurring theme throughout the book is the idea that time is a circle. The events and actions that happen throughout an individual’s life happen over and over again. Not just the individual, but… read more
Adjusting to Living And Thinking Abroad
You know when there’s a popular TV show, and everyone’s talking about it, so you know the characters, basic plotline, and random spoilers, but then you actually watch the show, and everything starts to mean something to you? That’s what studying abroad feels like. I knew where I was going… read more
Worries Don’t Disappear, But Excitement Offsets Them
I desired to study abroad ever since the summer of 2019, when a wide-eyed freshman me arrived at the great University of Texas for orientation. Among all the sessions for clubs, organizations and societies over those two days, “Devin of the past” felt most intrigued and inspired after talking to… read more
Slowing Down in Sweden
I knew studying abroad would be a challenge. As someone who typically finds comfort in knowing and being secure in my surroundings, this feeling was so terrifying and freeing at the same time. It had been one of the first times in a long time that I had no agenda—nothing to… read more
My French Dispatch
Living in Paris has been my dream since I was a toddler learning how to read with the “Madeline” picture book. (My mom can still recite the first few lines, and I’m nearly 21 years old—if that gives you an idea of how much I loved it!) I can genuinely… read more
The First Month Abroad
I have been in London for just over a month, and it has been the longest month of my life. Nothing could have prepared me for the first week. Between the chaos of registering for classes, making sure I was following COVID-19 protocols, and unpacking, I found myself wondering if… read more