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…
During the last month of my time abroad I did more traveling to London, Ibiza, Granada, and two cities in the north of Spain called Logroño and Pamplona. Logroño is Spanish wine country and is a small town whereas Pamplona hosts the “running of the bulls” and a tomato throwing festival called la Tomatina. Throughout my traveling experiences I have realized that you really do not have to bring that…
Hey everyone! My name is Lydia Mahan, and I am currently on the study abroad trip to Trujillo, Spain. Currently, we have only been in Spain for 12 days, and I am absolutely in love with this place. My favorite foods so far are the Spanish tortilla (similar to a buttery potato casserole), “angulas” (baby sauteed eels), paella, and peppers stuffed with fish. Another aspect of studying abroad in Trujillo,…
I began my time here at the University of Hertfordshire (Hatfield, England) on the seventeenth of September, however, I was lucky enough to spend two weeks traveling across Italy and Ireland before my arrival. One thing that has become increasingly clear to my since leaving the states is just how little I really know about the world outside of the places I live. Although we learn about global events though…
I began my time here at the University of Hertfordshire (Hatfield, England) on the seventeenth of September, however, I was lucky enough to spend two weeks traveling across Italy and Ireland before my arrival. One thing that has become increasingly clear to me since leaving the states is just how little I really know about the world outside of the places I live. Although we learn about global events through…
Crossing the Tiber river yet again to get to the Castel Sant’Angello was an awe-inspiring experience. The wide, pedestrian footbridge was packed with people from all around the world. Stern, almost melancholic statues of angels lined the railings of the bridge, which starkly contrasted the bright, bustling atmosphere. Each angel stood frozen in its own distinct pose, many of them silhouetted by the morning sun. Every now and then, a…
Traveling this semester has been nothing but exciting, however I did not know how easy it is to travel outside of the United States. My traveling this semester has taken me to places I never imagined of traveling, such as Austria, Hungary, and Switzerland. However, this blog is going to discuss all the travel tips and lessons that I have learned along the way. Tip One: When riding on a…
The Holy Week in Spain is a weeklong holiday before Easter that involves daily processions, massive floats, large crowds, traditional bands, and parades with hooded men. This Spanish tradition became widely celebrated in the sixteenth century and has evolved into a cultural as well as religious process that is almost unimaginable in the United States. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to experience this holiday in four Spanish cities…
Since my study abroad experience has come to a natural end this Spring 2023 semester and I am heading back to Charleston next semester for classes, looking back and reflecting on everything is something that I have done a lot of these past couple of days. A lot of the things I have been thinking about were some things I would do differently or the same before going on this study…
