Here we go again!

As I am doing the same intensive summer program twice here in Spain, essentially I am repeating everything. For the month of July, there are a lot more students than there were for May-June. I was excited about it because I was the only one from my school last month, but now I have four other girls. They are all super nice and we bonded instantly.

The first week we went to orientation, were given a mini tour of Oviedo, went to espicha, and went on our first excursion. I like my classes a lot better this month, they are more challenging and there are many more to pick from. Because this program is shorter than last month, the classes are more intensive with work. I don’t mind putting in the extra effort though because I know I am learning something. My Spanish has definitely improved while I’ve been here. I don’t think I’m completely fluent, but I am getting there.

Espicha was great the second time around. I got to meet so many new people from all different places and eat some really great food. Its crazy how fast this entire program is going. In retrospect, two months seems like a long time, but here I am with only three more weeks to go. I just want to make the most of it while I’m here and have the best time.

Rome: Week 1 at a glance

imageAdjusting to Rome was actually quite easy and felt natural. I fell in love with this city immediately and I can’t believe one week has already passed. There are so many amazing people within this program who share the most adventurous minds. Together we explored many grand, ancient landmarks such as the Coliseum, House of Augustus, The Arch of Constantine, and so on.

The metro system is very straightforward and easy to use. The only downside is the metro stops around 9pm which can cause a bit of a ruckus. But no worries, natives are always down to help with directions with buses and you can find a taxi anywhere.

Now let me tell you about the food, AMAZING. The pizza is very, very flat but so fresh and crunchy. It is very common to get your own personal pie in many places, they do not cut it by slice like in the U.S. My favorite food in Italy is gelato, so far I’ve had one every day that I have been here. It is a must have when visiting Rome.

Warning: beware of pickpocketers they are everywhere! You can never be too cautious, so keep that in mind when visiting Rome.

Weeks 4-5! More than half-way done!

After the half-way mark, it certainly didn’t feel like I’d hit the halfway mark. In fact, I’m writing this half-way through my last week, and I certainly don’t feel like I’m going home in 3 days, but that’s a story for the next post (which will actually be on time, hooray!). But despite my program being half-way over, I was busy as ever with school programs.

In week 4, there was a ton of stuff that happened. On the school calendar there was a trip to the Natural History Museum, the city Carnival, and a trip to Bonn! And there were other big things that week too, like taking the test that would determine whether I’d passed B1 or not.

The natural history museum was cool, and exploring it with my friend John (from New Paltz), and my friend Diego (from Switzerland), was a ton of fun. It was pretty similar to your standard natural history museum (and by your standard I mean I’ve only been to the one in New York City and the Smithsonian one in Washington D.C.). This one was a lot smaller, with a pretty confusing layout, but a lot of the exhibits were similar. The special exhibit currently there was about living in the dark, so many of the exhibits were about animals such as owls, bats, or moles, or sea-creatures that live in darkness. It was pretty interesting, though I mostly just looked at what looked cool while skimming signs, because when you have a limited amount of time in a museum, it’s just not possible to read every sign (especially when every sign takes double the amount of time to comprehend). It went from animals living in the dark, all the way up to ways that visually impaired people live today. And then there were the dinosaurs and things about human history that are part of the permanent exhibit (I like dinosaurs). This was also Diego’s last week in Münster, so later in the day a group of friends got together to celebrate, which was also super nice.

The next day was the B1 Abschlussprüfung, which is the big test that everyone has to take in order to move up to the next level. I was in the B1 class, but I was really worried about it because I hadn’t been there for the first half of the course. At the same time, I wasn’t too worried, because if I didn’t pass then I would stay in B1 and not move up to a level that’s too hard for me. Good news though! I did end up passing, and then the next monday we started B2!

Friday, week four, began the Münster Send, which is a huge carnival that takes place in Münster. There were tons of rides, games, and vendor booths, and it was all pretty fun (and very over-priced). When we first got there, we were told that we could meet back in an hour for a free ride on the school, so we set off to go explore for an hour. The first thing we did was go on a ride called The Flasher, and let me tell you, it was awesome. We were all terrified while waiting on line, because it’s taller than everything around it, and then it goes around really fast. (I’m awful at explaining this, but imagine the thing in the photo on the left is a giant clock hand and you’re sitting on the end and the clock is being rewinded very quickly). At the top of the tower, you end up sitting up there for a few minutes as the car on the opposite end unloads and reloads, and it’s by far the most beautiful view of Münster I’ve ever seen. You’re high above everything, and you can see the entire city and the fields beyond it. The car spins slowly around so that you get a 360º panoramic view of Münsterland. The city itself was the most beautiful part, because it was really beautiful to see all of the red roofs and the various churches sticking out over the tops. I could keep rambling about how lovely it is forever, but unfortunately since it’s such a fast and flippy-upside-downy ride, I couldn’t take any pictures. And I don’t think my describing it over text is going to do it justice at all. I did, fortunately, capture some lovely photos from the Ferris Wheel, which boasted similar views of the city, but at a significantly lower altitude, so they don’t go on as far. When we met up for the free ride on the school I decided to go on the Flasher again, while my friends chose a different ride, but after the ride that gave me some time to explore the Send on my own, which meant I got to see everything that was around without having to worry about where everyone else wanted to go. I was going to leave because I’d explored the whole thing, and at that point being by yourself is kinda boring, but I ended up running into my friends again near the exit. I joined them for the fireworks show, which was pretty cool, and then we all went our separate ways, because we had to get up early the next morning.

The reason we had to get up early? To go to Bonn, of course! Home to Beethoven’s birth house, a lovely Schloss and Rathaus (see the photo at the top for the Rathaus), lovely churches, and a wonderful museum about the history of Germany since WWII. My favorite part of Bonn was Beethovens Geburtshaus, but everything was interesting.

We started with a city tour, but that was pretty short and we then had free time, so after going on a long adventure to find a public restroom, we got lunch at a currywurst stand. This was my first time trying currywurst, and mmm, I was missing out. It was very good. And then we went to the Beethoven House Museum. We weren’t technically allowed to take photos inside (I had to leave my camera in a locker), but I had my phone with me so I snapped a few. It was cool to see some of the stuff that I’d learned about in Music History courses in person, such as the actual papers of the Heiligenstadt Testament, or the instruments that he really played on. After that, we went into a really beautiful church to look around, and then got ice cream before meeting back up with the group to go to the museum. Once everyone was back together, we went to the Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. It went through the history of Germany, but really, I just spent a lot of time looking at the stuff that looked cool. I made a new friend while in Bonn (her name is Kate and she’s pretty cool and is also from the US), so we spent a lot of our museum time talking, rather than reading about everything that we were looking at. What I did read, though, was pretty interesting, because I do like history, I just didn’t read a whole lot because to be honest I was tired and I think my brain had decided it didn’t really want to process a foreign language that day. The day as a whole was pretty interesting, because I like getting to see and learn about new places, so I’m definitely glad I got to go to Bonn.

The next week was just as busy (as always), with another movie night, a fun boating adventure, another concert at the music school, a trip to the beach with my host family, and a trip to the Münster Altwetter Zoo!

In week 5, I started with B2, so new text book, and harder class, but I find that it doesn’t feel much harder because at least this time I was starting from the beginning of the course. The end of B1 was much more grammar-heavy than the beginning of B2, so it isn’t as stressful. Tuesday, we went peddle-boating on the Aasee with school, which was fun. We made a New Paltz boat and spent most of the time talking about our time here and then just random life stuff. That Wednesday was Kate’s birthday, so after class, Kate, Robynne, and I went to the Pinkus Müller Brewery for lunch to celebrate! Or so we thought. It turns out that the place across the street, called Pinkulus, has tables outside Pinkus Müller. So it wasn’t until after we’d ordered that we realized that it wasn’t the Pinkus Brewery, but we had a really good lunch outside under some nice trees, so we weren’t complaining. We got ice cream and then explored the toy store and then made our separate ways home.

After that the weather started to get way too hot and it was awful. That Saturday was scheduled to be the hottest day of the week, and surprisingly the weather reports weren’t lying. Or rather, they were a little off, they didn’t report quite how hot it would actually get. It ended up being 105ºF. On the bright side though, that morning my host family had invited me to the beach. I denied at first because I desperately needed to shower (after all, it was hot out), but then I agreed and showered really quickly before packing my things for the beach. When I first got there I laid out my towel and immediately applied sunscreen (which I’m so glad I did, because I’m not a lobster this time!) and then laid in the sun for a while. I was bored, it was too hot, too sandy, too beachy. I’m really not a beach person. But then Jemima invited me to go swimming with her, and I agreed, naturally, because that would definitely help me cool off. Swimming was pretty fun, and we talked a lot, which is always cool (she gets a good laugh when I royally mess up my grammar, but then she helps me correct it so I (sometimes) get it right next time). Then we went back to laying on the beach, and I fell asleep for a little while. I woke up and my family was asleep and then I moved myself into the shade with them, because it was entirely too hot in the sun. I sat around for a while, trying to go back to sleep/at least alleviate my boredom, but I ended up just playing games on my phone until they woke up. We then got food (Currywurst und Pommes (fries). Yum.) and chatted some more, before going back to the beach. Jemima and I went swimming again, this time with a ball to play catch with. A little while later we traded the ball in for a set of snorkles, and we swam around. She had a good time trying to scare me by (attempting to) make me think that fish were grabbing my feet. I had a good time (successfully) scaring her by just putting my hand in front of her goggles out of nowhere. The water was pretty murky because it was a lake, so all of the sand and water gunk made it hard to see more than arms length away, but it also made it really startling when things suddenly appeared. We then played a “guess the song” game where you hum a tune into the snorkel while we’re both underwater and then we have to guess. It was pretty fun, and then shortly after that it was time to go home (by shortly after that I mean we were at the beach for a total of like 7 hours).

Actually one of the only performers we saw

The next day Robynne and I went to the zoo! It had been raining and thundering all morning so we weren’t sure if we were gonna be able to make it, but it cleared up in the afternoon so we decided to check it out. It was super cute, though the layout was confusing (and you had to pay extra for a map so we decided to just wing it). There was supposed to be a street artists festival going on, but due to the storms earlier in the day there weren’t very many performers out. Despite not getting to see the performers, we did still get to see all of the animals, and animals are cool.

Overall, I had a great time in Münster, and I’m excited go be going home, but that’s for tomorrow’s post 🙂

Few Days till the End of English Village – Say Farewell to Cheonan

English Village. Cheonan. Going back to Jukjeon Campus. Starting International Summer School, going back to a student.

 

I am bittersweet about ending English Village this year. Unlike last year, I had difficulty getting closer to my students, and I had difficulty getting my students engaged in class. It could be because I had two advance classes last year and their english skills were much better that communicating with them went UBER smooth compared to how it was this year. I did get close to some of my students, and will definitely miss those that I did enjoy seeing in class everyday.
Another reason I am sad is because I enjoy teaching … being in charge.
But overall, I am glad that English Village is coming to an end, and I am excited to start taking my class and I am excited to have time to explore Korea.

I am glad that I chose to come to Cheonan campus this year because this campus is beautiful. The lake. The drop dead gorgeous lake. Walking around the lake at night is so relaxing.
Beware of the bugs though. I have so many mosquito bites … I can’t wear shorts or dresses because of them.
If I had the chance to come back to Cheonan campus … I probably won’t just because I am too much of a city girl that I am uncomfortable with the environment. But Cheonan is definitely a place you should visit once while here.

I am happy about going back to Jukjeon campus – not so thrilled about the stairs but I like that traveling from Jukjeon campus is a lot more easier. The classrooms are also in better condition. But Cheonan campus overall is prettier. Though I still have to go to the mountain/waterfall in Jukjeon campus before I make the final judgement.
The only downside about teaching about Cheonan is that I can’t meet my students as easily as I could have if they were at English Village at Jukjeon campus.

International Summer School. I am excited about this because I like learning, and writing papers, and taking notes. As odd as that may sound, I miss the feeling of writing on paper. I am also excited to meet my classmates, and see if I can make more international friends.

Let’s see how this Friday will go down. Hopefully no tears will be coming down this year. Hopefully.

Till then.

안녕~

Barcelona

So since I have been done with classes I have had a lot of free time on my hands. I had about six days off from class and I wanted to take this opportunity to travel. I knew I wanted to go somewhere fairly close and cheap, but also awesome. I ended up deciding on Barcelona.

Because everything is so cheap here, the ticket to Barcelona was only 30 euros and the flight back was only 40 euros. I found a really cheap hostel that was only 23 euros a night and was right on the beach with free breakfast. Originally my friend and I were supposed to go, but unfortunately she missed her flight so I ended up going alone. At first I was pretty anxious because I have never gone on a trip all by myself. I really wanted to see Barcelona and was determined to go regardless of the situation.

I ended up leaving on a Thursday and planned to arrive on that Sunday. I took the bus to the airport and breezed through security. By this point I was feeling very confident even though I hadn’t left Oviedo yet. Once on the plane, the trip only took an hour and afterward I found a bus to take me to the center of Barcelona. From there I wasn’t sure quite where to go so I just ended up taking a taxi the rest of the way to the hostel.

The room I got in the hostel had a total of nine beds in it which was all girls. I checked in very easily and then went up to my room. Most of the girls were Americans, but there were some from England and France. As soon as I got there I met a girl from Chile who was sleeping in the bed above mine. She was really nice and spoke pretty good English. I told her I was there alone and she insisted that I come out with her and her friends that night. One of them was also from Chile and the other was from Santander which is close to Oviedo.

They asked what I could like to drink and we ended up just getting some cheap bottles of wine to split. Apparently it was a full moon that night so there was a “fiesta de luna llena” (full moon party) on the beach. Because our hostel is right on the beach, all we had to do was walk straight down along the shore which was beautiful at night. I was a bit far and we were having trouble finding it. Finally we decided to give up and just sit. Because they were studying English and I was studying Spanish, they would talk to me in English and I would answer in Spanish. It was exciting to keep practicing and I am noticing that speaking Spanish now is taking less and less thinking. I don’t have to really try to form sentences in my head and I can just speak.

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After awhile I sitting and talking, I looked up on my map where this party was. Stupidly we realized it was right on the other side of the port we were sitting next to. So we ended up getting to the party after all. There was a huge bonfire and everyone was was sitting around and dancing. There were also many people playing the drums. It was such a great atmosphere to see all these happy people celebrating together.

Afterward, we went to McDonald’s to grab a snack because they open 24 hours and then headed back. The crazy thing about Barcelona is that almost everyone speaks English. I think it is because there are so many tourists, especially american.

The next morning I ended up getting up fairly early to eat breakfast and also because everyone else was up and its impossible to sleep in a room full of nine girls that are talking. I decided to go to the beach all day because it was right next to me. I went from 11:00 to 4:30 and got so much color. There was a heat advisory that day so there were many announcements reminding people to be aware of the heat.

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My friends from Oviedo were going to be in Barcelona that night and the next day so I was happy to see them and have someone to site see with. After the beach I met them out for dinner where we ordered only tapas and sangria which was the best combination. All the restaurants in Barcelona are beautiful and it was so nice to catch up with them. After dinner we walked around to explore and find gelato. There are two beautiful fountains in the Plaza de Catalunya and we even witnessed a proposal! which is crazy.

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I took the metro home which is just the subway. I was scared at first because I have not had the best experiences with public transportation, but it was actually very easy and I got home fairly quickly.

Saturday was my last day there which was sad. I can’t believe how fast the time went. I woke up around 7:00 that morning so that we could all go site seeing. First we went to Parc Guell which is a part that Gaudi designed. He has many buildings there with such a distinct style. From the top of the theater, you can see the whole city of Barcelona and the beach beyond that.

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On the way back from Parc Guell, we stopped at all the souvenir shops. I actually found things for my family and friends that were fairly cheap and pretty great gifts. We then headed to La Sagrada Familia which is one of the most famous buildings in the world. They told us that we were have to wait 4 hours which was a bummer, but also gave us to time to do other things. We bought out tickets and then went for lunch. After lunch we had more time sow decided to go see the other two houses that Gaudi designed which were just down the street. The first was Casa Mile which was just beautiful and the second was Casa Batllo which is also extremely famous. Even from only standing outside it is really something to see. By this time, it was already time for us to head back and enter La Sagrada Familia. Going into it, I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew it was going to be beautiful, but I was even prepared for how incredible it was. Going inside was like a dream. It was amazing that it didn’t even look real. There were stained glass windows everywhere and so much detail in every wall. The light shown from just the right way to color the entire room.

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I am really happy I ended up going inside even if it was 15 euros. Of course we went to the Souvenir shop again and bought more because it was so incredible.

We then decided to go to the beach for the rest of the day. The Mediterranean sea is really unique. the water is a teal color and is it the perfect temperature. The beach I was on was so beautiful, it just didn’t seem real. Our friends ended up meeting us there and we went for dinner. It was the fourth of July, but being in another country, no one celebrated it. It was just a normal day in Barcelona which was weird for me.

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We went to a restaurant and ordered Paella, as I have still yet to have it in Spain. There were two huge dishes of paella and we all shared. It was so good and you could tell it was fresh; a great way to end my trip to Barcelona.

The next morning I had to get up early to catch a flight back. I had no problem taking the metro to the Plaza and finding the bus to the airport. When I arrived at the airport, it was huge. I wasn’t really sure exactly where to go, but I eventually found my way. I went though security and then had to wait two hours for my flight. It was a bit delayed, but I didn’t mind.

Once on the plane, the flight was only an hour. I was flying Ryanair which I had heard bad reviews about, but it was so cheap that I couldn’t pass it up. The whole flight was fine until the ending. We caught some turbulence and it was a bit rough. The landing was even rougher as the plane was all over the place. Luckily we got there safely and that is all that matters.

I actually flew into Santander which is a few towns over from Oviedo because they had no flights directly to Oviedo. Once there I found the city bus to the bus station and then had to find my bus back to Oviedo. I bought my ticket on Thursday so that I wouldn’t have to worry about it when I got there. My ticket was for a 3:30 bus, but I didn’t see it on the board of departures. I asked the information desk and she informed me that I bought it ticket for 3:30 am not 3:30 pm. I forget that in Spain they use military time so 3:30 in the afternoon is actually 15:30. I instantly started freaking out and just thinking how was I going to get home?

The other bad thing was that I was running out of money and only had 10 euros left to get me home. Luckily, they had another bus that was going to Oviedo at 3:30, but I had to buy another ticket. I found enough money in my wallet to pay and was so happy that I had enough.

The bus ride was a total of three hours back to Oviedo and once there I took the city bus back to my apartment. Unfortunately I got on a different bus then normal and the ride was about half an hour, but I was happy I didn’t have to walk.

Overall I think that my trip to Barcelona was very successful and I am so proud of myself to doing this all by myself and getting to see the beautiful city.

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Do I Keep Right on the Sidewalk?

(As seen in the gallery: (1) The London Eye, (2) Procession following the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace)

When reading Richard II last semester, I remember my professor telling us to pay close attention to the speech John of Gaunt delivers at the beginning of Act II—one that is bursting with nationalism, describing England as a “demi-paradise;” a place comparable to the garden of Eden. Though I have visited this country (a mere) four hundred years after the time in which John of Gaunt spoke about, I immediately could see why London was a place in which Shakespeare could write about so poetically.

 

My initial reaction upon arriving in London could be described monosyllabically: HOT. Though it cooled down after the first day, which we were told was not only uncharacteristic of this area, but the hottest day they have seen (about 95 degrees Fahrenheit) in the last decade! All of the people in Surbiton (the town in which I am staying; about a 25 minute train ride away from central London) as well as the staff for the school were (and continue to be) incredibly welcoming and patient—especially when we are trying to pay for something and simultaneously figure out the currency!

 

Anyone that knows me can attest to the fact that I am not very good with navigation, which was one of my main apprehensions when arriving in London. Today is my sixth day in England, and I have to say, I feel fairly confident traveling; especially to central London! The train station, which is easy to navigate and full of foolproof maps of the Tube Lines, is a quick ten-minute walk from my dorm. Traveling through here has allowed me to see a beautiful city with such easy-to-navigate-to sites!

 

The first two days I went into central London, I was able to hit all the major touristy spots: Buckingham Palace (once for a changing of the guards ceremony), Big Ben (which I learned refers to only the clock and not the tower itself), Trafalgar Square (a tourist attraction known for its four large statues of lions), The Monument, (which was created to honor a 1666 fire and is comprised of 311 steps–quick the walk, but worth the view!), The London Bridge, the tallest building in London: The Shard, The London Eye (which is even more impressive inside than it is at a distance!), as wells as various craft and shopping centers, including the Camden Market.

 

 

Because everyone has been so welcoming and friendly, I have not had a chance to feel too homesick just yet. I’m still trying to get used to looking the opposite way when crossing the street and adjusting to the 24-hour clock, but so far, I am happy to be in a place in which everything is accessible by foot—especially in one as rich culturally as London.

 

 

 

Milano In My Mind

AC Milan game with fellow SUNY students Gaby, and Yvonne

AC Milan game with fellow SUNY students Gaby and Yvonne

So the truth is: I have been meaning to write this post for a while now, but the rush back into reality got in the way.

11048267_10153392746133921_7202297963475849159_nLet me start by summarizing where we left off from my last blog.  The last thing I wrote about was my performance in my dramaturgy class for our final exam.  Since then I completed my last finals of college.  Since then I have also received my grades for my final semester of college:  For the first time ever I received straight ‘A’s (minus the one class I took S/U in which I received an ‘S’).  I take a lot of pride in these grades, considering this was my final college semester, and this was a first for me.   I ended college with a bang, and I do believe my GPA will thank me.  This also means I am (almost) a college graduate.  We are hoping that my grades are received in time for me to graduate in August.

Teatro alla Scala

Teatro alla Scala

23!

23!

Beyond academics I also attended my first AC Milan football game, something I wanted to do all semester!  I saw my first ever opera at La Scala, another place I was hoping to get to before the semester’s end.  I celebrated my 23rd birthday.  I also made sure to be a complete and total tourist in my own city.  It took almost leaving Milan for me to push myself to do all of the things I had been eager to do for months but hadn’t yet.  I created a Milan bucket list, full of things I had never done and things I needed to do one last time before departing.  I am very content with the results of my bucket list.

Greetings from the Highlands in Scotland

Greetings from the Highlands in Scotland

My final days abroad, I used the remainder of my bravery to travel alone to Scotland, the Amalfi Coast, Florence (again), and Sicily.  I traveled alone for two entire weeks, before returning back to Milan for my final day abroad, in order to see the World Expo.  The theme of this year’s Expo, held in Milan from late May through October, is “Feeding the Planet; Energy for Life.”  All year it was hyped up to us: “What a blessing it is, and how lucky we students are to have this event in our backyard.”  I truly cannot agree more.  This, for those who still have the opportunity to check out the Expo, is a must see!

Channeling my inner Angolan fisherman at the world expo

Channeling my inner Angolan fisherman at the World Expo

Since then I have returned to the United States for a slap in the face by reality’s hand.  I miss Milan more than I could ever have imagined!  But the truth is I know this is: a) a good sign and b) completely normal.   I miss Milan so much because of the amazing time I spent there.  I do not take that magical place, any of my travels, friends, school, food, or anything else about my study abroad life for granted.  Studying at Universita Catollica del Sacro Cuore made Milan my home.  I find it funny that I miss Milan so much that I even miss the bad stuff!  I remember when my friend Stephanie warned me after my post about adjusting that “Just you wait!   You will go home and be missing the negative aspects, too.  You learn to take them with a grain of salt and miss it all.”  She’s right.

Positano Beach!

Positano Beach!

Staff Orientation with my high school buddy, Evan

Staff Orientation with my high school buddy, Evan

Arriving home, I truly hit the ground running.  There is never really a free moment; hence, the last blog only now.  My adjustment has been rough.  I haven’t really had downtime.  I came home, immediately got sick with a cold, successfully completed a very challenging juice cleanse, and started work.  I am working this summer as a head counselor of five year olds at The JCC Pearl River day camp.  The job is proving to be one of my greatest challenges to date.  Beyond this I am back living at home now, with the summer addition of my pregnant sister, meaning there are 4.5 of us living in one NYC apartment.  Makes sense I’m having a rough transition back to America.  I am lucky to have a support system at home, but nobody can ever really understand my situation because my situation is specific to me.  It is nice to be home, and sure I could not stay in Milan forever.  But to go back for even one day now would be the greatest gift ever.  I am the luckiest girl in the world to have been given this experience.  Although my heart remains in Milano, I hope to take some notes from my European adventures and make the most of my time here in the United States.

11401267_10153431658718921_3719835922191387212_nSo to Milano I say:  I must thank you for changing who I am as a person.  I can now truly say that my pledge sister Kimberly is correct when saying one changes via study abroad.  “Til next time Italy,” is all I can say.  I WILL be back! Just you wait and see.  Or, as my friend Heidi says, at the Study Abroad 10 Year Reunion 😉  What the future holds for me is a complete and utter mystery, and truth be told I am completely okay with that.  Because truth is what is life without a little mystery?”  But I will be sure to update any of those who remain interested in my future whereabouts.  And as I mentioned beforehand, Italy has not seen the last of me!

So my dear readers, if this is truly my last post, my final advice must be that you all follow your hearts and follow your dreams.  Go see the world; you will not regret it!  Ciao for now <3

Reunited with my Abba at JFK airport

Reunited with my Abba at JFK airport

Tamara

Palermo Cathedral, Sicily!

Palermo Cathedral, Sicily!

I’m Never Going Home

The fourth day of my trip has just about ended, and the only thing I have to say about London is that I love it. It’s so different from America! First, the cars (as well as pedestrians) walk on the opposite side of the street. This is proving to take some getting used to seeing as everyday I almost get hit by a car because I look the wrong way before crossing… Secondly, shops close at such strange times! Today we were in the heart of London and quite a few of the shops and small restaurants we passed were closed on Saturday and Sunday! This never happens in America because weekends are usually the busiest! Speaking of restaurants, the pubs are much different too. I have yet to be “waited on”. You simply walk into a restaurant, seat yourself, look at the menu, and then order at the bar. You provide your table number and then the food is brought to you. It seems very strange, but I kind of enjoy that way of dining. Its much more casual. Thirdly, the way people here live is so different in subtle ways. There are no screens on the window which really freaked me out at first, but now I’ve just learned to close the window when I’m not in my room.

And WALKING. The British walk everywhere. There hasn’t been a day since I’ve been here where I have walked less than five miles. Today I even put in a whopping ten miles (and I have the blisters to prove it). My flat is not in the heart of London, but in Kingston. It is about a 25 minute train ride from Kingston to Central London. The train and tube system is not so hard to navigate, and after doing it for only two days, we are finding it pretty easy! I enjoy the freedom of so easily being able to go back and forth between Kingston and Central London.

Tomorrow is the first day of actual classes and we already have a field trip! I’m going to Hampton Court Palace with my British Culture and Society class. This was a palace Henry VIII would frequent, and I am SO excited to see the grandeur that the palace has to offer.

I have attached a few photos that I took this weekend while I was in Central London.

~ Maddie 🙂

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Home

I made it home. The flight was exhausting. I didnt end up sleeping for nearly 50 hours due to terrible seating on planes and ridiculous layovers in Dallas. In addition – I missed my flight from NYC to Syracuse because of the layovers and the tickets were non refundable. A family member ended up driving the 5 hours down to the city to get me where I had to drive the 5 hours back after my massive flights. Tired. But I made it home.

Since being home – it has all been very exciting for me. I anticipated feeling so lost here – which it still is the same dead end town.. but I see it in a very different light. I never realized how beautiful it is here.. it feels really weird and nice to see something you’ve seen a million times – but see it like you’re seeing it for the very first time. It keeps blowing my mind.

I have been working non stop since I have been home however.. so it is really a big change of pace to switch to. It is boring, repetitive and exhausting. 3 things I have not been for the past 6 months. I’m trying to get into the swing of things – without falling back into the same motion I used to swing in.

Anyway..this has been fun.. I have no words for my gratitude to New Paltz for their hand in getting me to Australia. My study abroad experience in Melbourne Australia was all they try and prepare you for it will be and more. It has laid the foundation for my future travel experiences as I am now confident in my abilities to branch out on my own. I will be forever grateful to New Paltz, Melbourne, and the study abroad program for helping to gift that to me as I know it will heighten every experience I have in the future as I look at it in an entirely new light. I cannot wait to go back to Australia someday – those coast lines are like my second home. Thanks.

Packed and Ready for Rome!

My flight to Italy is tomorrow and I just finished packing and I couldn’t be more excited! The number one thing to do before packing is to make a check list and go over it a couple of times. Don’t ever forget your PASSPORT! Along with money and credit/ debit cards. It is always safer to bring a little more money and clothes. Of course I didn’t forget to bring an extra empty suitcase, which is always a good idea. Well, tonight will be a sleepless night and then off to Italy I go!