There is something to be said about the slower-paced lifestyle in Mexico. Time passes differently here. Opposite to the U.S where everyone has a go-go mentality, “ahorita,” which translates to “now,” never actually means “ahorita.” Punctuality is somewhat less of a priority here. Downtime is valuable in Mexico, so when… read more
College of Liberal Arts
Living Without Regrets
People around the world wonder what their lives would have been like had their past selves chosen something other than what they ended up doing. Regret permeates the human condition as much as any emotion, and reflection on the past, such as what I write here, has the ability to… read more
This Isn’t Goodbye, But It’s a Bis Später
As I’m writing this, my time in Freiburg and Germany is quickly coming to an end, and honestly, it’s the last thing I want to think about. The reality has slowly started to creep in that in less than three weeks, I’ll have to leave this place that’s become home… read more
Gratitude Across Borders
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
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
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
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
Mein Neues Zuhause (My New Home) — Freiburg
Forty days. Forty days since I left the U.S. for Freiburg. Germany. Forty days of adjusting, adapting and acclimating. Forty days, and I think it’s safe to say that Freiburg is starting to feel like home. The realization hit me one weekend when I was returning from a chaotic trip… read more
I Studied Abroad … Now What?
After planning my study abroad trip for more than three years (thanks to what I’ve nicknamed “pandemic patience”), my four months in Costa Rica passed in a flash. I’ve been back in the United States for a little over a month now, and my time abroad already feels like a… read more