I had three goals going into this semester abroad, and I am thrilled to say I accomplished all of them. The first is a little administrative, so I’ll get it out of the way: I passed the DALF! The DALF is basically a proficiency test for the French language, and if you pass, it’s essentially global proof of proficiency at a certain level. It was hard fought, and I absolutely…
I just got back from a week-long trip to Paris, and I can honestly say it was one of the most memorable and mind-blowing experiences of my life. I am a huge fan of museums. Everywhere I go, the first thing I do is scope out the local museums, botanical gardens, aquariums, arboretums, and historical sites. In La Rochelle, I was delighted to discover how many museums I had access…
Before starting my time abroad at Kansai Gaidai, I kept having people tell me about how wonderful an opportunity studying abroad really is. I heard them, but I never anticipated it being so monumental for my life and my personal growth. As soon as I touched down in Japan, I hit the ground running by going to all sorts of places and meeting many people along the way. While the…
It’s been two weeks since arrived in Trujillo, my Spanish home for the semester, and it feels like it was both yesterday and three months ago at the same time. I’ve learned and experienced so much but I’m still only beginning my study abroad experience. I came to Trujillo with plenty of goals but few expectations or ideas about what life was going to be like in a medium-sized Spanish…
I am currently aboard the MV World Odyssey with Semester at Sea! The program has sailed for sixty years, and I am currently on its 132nd voyage. Over these years, the atmosphere and traditions have stood the test of time and will continue for many more to come. I have highlighted some of the amazing days that are held throughout the voyage. Neptune Day From early wake-ups to a cold…
After three months in London, I have learned so much. As the city is filled with diversity and is essentially a melting pot, many different opportunities have arisen that I am not quite used to. I have tried about every nationality of food and learned more about global health than I could have ever imagined. Though, with interacting among different nationalities, there has been a lot of confusion as the…
I am currently living out my childhood dreams of living on a ship like Zach and Cody. Semester at Sea is a program where I will be traveling to eleven different countries and earning twelve credits that transfer to the College of Charleston. Living solely on a ship is completely different then life in the low-country. A part from the obvious of not being on land, maritime culture was a…
There is much to learn from the beautiful things in life. Île de Ré is a lovely little island situated on the Golfe de Gascogne. Holding onto its rich history, the island was first occupied during the Jurassic ages. Its mere 17,000 habitants keep its legacy alive, its economy functioning, and its tourism at an all time peak. This legacy continues to revolve around salt production and donkeys.Towards the north…
I took a class called “Chanson” at la Rochelle Université, which directly translates to “Song” in French. With that title in mind, I didn’t know what to expect going into it. One of my international friends thought the class was going to be a karaoke class, which I had hoped for as well. However, we were slowly let down as we learned the class would entail learning about the history…
Before studying abroad in La Rochelle, France, I had never, EVER, fathomed getting on an airbus, flying across the world, and facing possible peril alone. I’d flown a few times domestically, but the international experience was all new to me. I remember thinking to myself in the Boston airport, “what if this plane goes down?” “What if my passport doesn’t work?” “How embarrassing to be nineteen years old and afraid…
