Reflecting on my time abroad and the experience I’ve gained, I can definitely say choosing to do this program has significantly impacted the course of my life and career. I would recommend any student to step out of their comfort zone and study abroad while they have the opportunity. Some advice that I have for future students is to go into the experience by putting yourself out there as much…

Some of my best days abroad have been going to see some of the iconic sights of France. I love going to see the Eiffel tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Versailles, The Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and so much more. I also loved seeing the ocean and beaches in Nice, although the water was pretty rough. Pretty much every day abroad has been the best, I have no complaints. My academic…

All the CofC students decided one weekend that we wanted to go and visit Prague. To properly “optimize” our time within the city, we decided to catch a train at 4:30am. Since our train was so early, we decided it would be of our best interest to remain out all night and just move to the train station early in the morning. What we did not consider was how unbelievably…

A large cultural adjustment for study abroad students often occurs when encountering a new cuisine. I experienced this cultural difference in both day-to-day grocery trips and in the restaurants of Berlin. The fresh fruits and vegetables in Germany are of a far higher quality than within the US. The German groceries are also measured on a scale of health levels to help customers make informed decisions about the food they…

Last weekend, I was able to take a short visit to a port town in Northern Germany called Sassnitz. I was delighted to observe both German culture in the context of a port town and the geologic structures of the local Jasmund National Park. These two aspects of Sassnitz combined my long term academic interests of German and geology. My ability to apply this intersectionality of knowledge allowed my weekend…

It was supposed to be two quick days of travel getting to South Africa, but after our flight was canceled to Johannesburg, the group and I found ourselves stuck in London for two extra days. At first, we were a little disappointed. We had been looking forward to arriving in South Africa and getting started in the field but now we were stuck in a city we had not planned…

While being in Paris so far, my favorite food that I have tried has surprisingly been duck! I have not tried too many things that you cannot find in a traditional American grocery store in my lifetime, so trying different things here has been very fun. I tried duck at dinner with some of my peers at a restaurant called Le Formidable and it was delicious. It tastes like steak…

As I am sitting in my Uber on the way to the airport, I am filled with a multitude of emotions. The first emotion I feel is sadness. Sadness to leave this wonderful city, the study abroad program, my new friends, and my professors. The next emotion I feel is happiness. I look back on every experience I had, every person I met, and every memory I will cherish forever,…

When coming to England it is a requirement to try as much delicious food as possible. There are so many different cultures here that you could walk down a street and taste every corner of the world. One thing that has helped me immensely to connect with the locals is food. The biggest concerns tourists have when visiting a different country has been whether or not they would like or…