Letter to Home After a Year Abroad

Hello, it’s me. Some of you may have forgotten about me while I’ve been gone. Or maybe not, considering I inundated your Instagram and Facebook feeds with pictures of my adventures. Sorry about that, I have only wanted to share my exciting adventures with the world. But I am finally returning home for the summer.…

The Top 4 Things to do in Heidelberg

I’ll admit it; this quaint little German town has stolen a piece of my heart after living here. There’s just something about the atmosphere and culture of the town that makes me want to move here permanently. Although I won’t be planting my roots here, I’ve learned the ins and outs of how to experience…

What Living in an “Unfriendly Country” Taught Me

When you think of Germany, three things usually come to mind: World War II, beer, and unfriendly people. There is no disagreeing with the fact that the rest of the world generally views Germans as unfriendly, business-like people. After living here for two semesters, I can agree. Most Germans will not be overly friendly and…

Venice – Then and Now

My parents, bless their hearts, were crazy enough to take an eight year-old to Italy. No normal parents would think that was a good investment and they took a risky gamble when they brought me to Italy for a week when I was only eight. Thankfully, their gamble paid off and I loved the trip.…

Reflecting on My First Semester Abroad

It’s been a long three months. 93 days to be specific. 93 days since I packed up my life and moved 7,000 miles away to the beautiful town of Heidelberg, Germany. Before stepping on the plane, I thought it was going to be the longest three months of my life. In some ways, it was.…

How NOT to See Vienna

This past week I have been in Austria with my class for an Educational Field Trip. The “educational” title is optional. I had been to Vienna once before but never left the train station so I was unsure of what to expect. Basically, I was not looking forward to being surrounded by the same people…