Traveling around a coutnry is exciting and essential to immersing yourself. However. it can be overwhelming and expensive. As soon as I arrived in Madrid, Spain, all I could think about was getting to other places. Traveling within the country and within Europe would never be easier than it is while I am here. So, I began the planning. Planning these trips and finding a … Continue reading Little Trips in Spain; Travel Tips and Itineraries
By Adilia Watson In the Fall of 2019, I had one of the best experiences of my life — I studied abroad with USAC Ghana! I made many friends, saw the world, and even graduated early because of it! In my decision-making process and planning, one thing was always on my mind: How would I afford this? I relied on grants, scholarships, loans, and work … Continue reading How To Study Abroad On A Budget
When you are in the Madrid Adolfo-Suárez Airport (the MAD) I highly implore you to look up. After landing from a very long, turbulent flight, I was exhausted in the airport. I took a moment to take a breath and look up at the ceiling. I was shocked I hadn’t noticed earlier, the ceiling was covered with beautiful wooden panels shaped to look like waves. As … Continue reading Landing MAD in Madrid
Paris, although filled with life, history, art, and culture is also a booming international city. When in Paris, I met people from all around the globe. People from all over London, Ireland, Italy, Israel, and a few groups of other American students! Whether you are traveling to Europe in a group or solo, make sure to be social, after all, Paris would not be what … Continue reading The Art, the Food, and the People of Paris
It has taken me a long time to tell you all this: I have severely underestimated the value of sunglasses and an eye mask. Living in Seattle there is little use for such things, but out here it is a completely different ballgame. One of the definitions for the arctic is that the sun does not set on the summer solstice, the longest day of … Continue reading Sunsets at Midnight
Hi! My name is Shannon Allen I am an Environmental Science major and Film minor at SU. This year I will be doing two international trips through Seattle University. First, I will be taking a trip to Paris, France for a two-week-long class which I will use as a Film Elective. The flight to Paris from Seattle totals around 10 hours. Now would be a … Continue reading How I Dealt with Pre-Departure Chaos: Paris, France
While abroad, I make it a point to eat food that I wouldn’t normally find back home. Sure, a pack of sour patch kids can be a welcome reminder, but while I have the opportunity I wouldn’t dare pass up the chance to try something new. That being said, I’ve found the Icelandic equivalent for sour patch kids, although they aren’t sour and they appear … Continue reading Salt to a Sweet Tooth: A Short Essay on Candy
I’ve often heard the phrase ‘be bold and start cold’ in my experiences backpacking. Here in Iceland, you usually have to start pretty dang cold! As soon as you get moving though, you generate far more body heat than is comfortable. By that same token, as soon as you stop moving you also lose all that heat. It’s a fine line to balance. Our first … Continue reading A Love Letter to Layering
“How long will you be staying?” A stocky Icelandic immigration official examines my passport intently. “Six weeks” I reply. “And what are you doing in Iceland?” She compares me to the photo. I pull down my mask and beam at her. “Studying abroad!” Iceland is a beautiful country. My first week was punctuated by volcanoes, lava fields, geysers, and waterfalls. It’s very challenging for me … Continue reading Of Geysers and Gyrfalcons
A good part of the fun in studying abroad seems to be in telling people where you will be going. The reactions I have garnered from a simple answer to the question, “What are you doing this summer?” assures me that I have made a solid choice. Of course, a couple sentences really offer no explanation of the weeks of planning and preparation that have … Continue reading From Homeland to Iceland
Redhawks Abroad 