The most valuable thing I have learned while studying abroad hasn’t been how to plan trips, the Italian culture, or nine different languages at a two year old level… The most valuable thing I have learned while studying abroad is how to live in the now, how to be present.

The other night fifteen of us went out to dinner. We stayed at this dinner for about two hours. We talked the whole time and never once mentioned social media, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Except for the occasional SnapChat at the beginning and at the end of dinner, I didn’t see anyone’s phones.

This has never happened to me in America. Everyone checks their phones while eating out, everyone scrolls through Instagram when waiting for their food to arrive, or at least everyone mentions something that someone posted on some social media site.

Not just young adults either, almost everyone in every age group.

Why? Are Instagram pictures more important than having genuine conversations with the friends and family around you?

Here in Europe I can only use my phone when I have Wi-Fi. In Rome the only places with Wi-Fi are our school library and dining hall. When I am traveling the only places with Wi-Fi are places we are staying, which we are only at late at night.

And it has been incredible.

At first this gave me anxiety. What if I get lost? What if I can’t speak to a local when I need help? What if I just really want to call my mom?

The answer: be resourceful. And, calm down.

I have learned how to use a map, how to rely on my source of direction, different ways of explaining things, gotten over my fear of talking to strangers, and that I don’t need to ask my mom what to do in every little situation.

I often just leave my phone in my dorm when I go out, I can’t use it anyway. I don’t have a problem going all weekend not checking social media. It get’s pretty boring anyways.

I have learned to look around me, to observe the mannerisms of people in other cultures, to look around at the scenery in 18 different cities, to be present in what is happening right now. I have learned how incredible it is to communicate with friends for hours at dinner with no mention of irrelevant social media gossip or interrupting Snap Chats or texts.

I’m honestly scared that once I gain back the freedom of using my phone anywhere, anytime, I will get absorbed back into my iPhone. I will go back to constantly texting, constantly checking social media, constantly talking about social media, because everyone else will be.

Social media, texting, and calls absolutely have their advantages but, just for a day try to turn your phone on airplane mode, or go out to dinner with friends and leave your phone at home.

Let’s get back to living in the moment; because once you stop and look around, this life is pretty amazing.

I could just sense the anticipation and excitement of the Spanish students in my classes for this week of dancing, drinking and eating. Considering it only comes once a year and it’s a tradition that dates back more than 150 years, which most of these students’ families have participated in, I could sort of understand where they’re coming from. But at the same time,was it really that necessary to cancel 3 days of university classes for it (Some students couldn’t even hold themselves back from going to the Feria during Monday and Tuesday’s class).

Sure, it’s a beautiful event to encounter, with the colorful “trajes de flamenco” that women wear and dance in and men dressed in their Sunday’s best but to go everyday of the week and partake in the repetitive action of drinking, eating and dancing, I simply couldn’t fathom. But then again according to the locales it’s one of the most exciting times of year.

The feria takes place every year on the same grounds in the Remedios neighborhood of Sevilla. “Casetas” or little houses that each family or organization sponsors is set up. Inside these casetas there are usually two sections. In the front you will find tables set up to eat and in the back resembles a small disco tech with a hardwood floor and a bar, where people dance Sevillanas. These “Casetas” are usually decorated on the inside with paintings, scarves and objects that represent the cultural history of Sevilla. Also, each facade of the Caseta has a distinct name or image that differentiates it from the rest.

As you walk out of a Caseta you will find yourself in an area called Real de la Feria, where many other families have Casetas. In the streets you will see people chatting in groups and horse drawn carriages and people riding horses. It seems a bit like you’ve been transported back in time with everyone wearing their traditional costumes.  As you walk west you will run into the “Calle del Inferio” or hell road. This area has numerous amusement rides, a circus, and other entertaining fair games. This area also included bumper cars which I partook in with a friend and it had been probably 10 years since I last sat in one. In addition, later in the evening you have impromptu “rebujito” stations composed of a cardboard box and the ingredients that make a “rebujito” on top, which is the official fair drink. The complicated cocktail contains sherry wine and usually 7-up. It’s a sweet and refreshing drink that can ONLY be consumed during the Feria.

In addition, if you are interested, in the center of the city, there are bull fights going on in the official stadium, Plaza de Toros. Though, I was interested in seeing a match they were not only too expensive for my budget but they were also too violent for me to handle.

As I walked the streets of the Feria, observing people from all ages dancing to the sounds of the sevillanas, I could just sense their pride and joy in partaking in these events. La Feria was more than just a once a year fair with tapas, roller coasters and lots of horses, it was a demonstration of their passion, honor and commitment to their rich history and culture.

The reason for not writing about Spanish politics since my first post is because there frankly has not been any new installments to the procedure until recently.

The Spanish legislative system is organized as a bicameral parliament whereby citizens vote for the representatives of the Senate and Congress of Deputies (which holds most of the power in the bicameral decision making process) through proportional representation of the provinces. These representatives in turn vote for a President of Government which would be their Prime Minister. But before the voting for a President of Government can occur, the political parties represented by the Senators and Deputies must form parliamentary groups due to the fact of the diversity of political parties. The most recent election of representatives produced a situation of “impasse” in which 7 different political parties with a considerable number of representatives were voted in and no clear majority was available to vote in a President. This is the reason why nothing has come about in the months since I last wrong about this situation. Political parties are not very disagreeable. Every political party has a distinct agenda in which their constituency must rely on them to fulfill, for example the Podemos party led by the hippy Pablo Iglesias has a left leaning platform agreeing with PSOE on this matter yet one of its main provisions is that Catalonia should decide its independence. Due to this divisive issue that no other left leaning party agrees with, combined with the fact that Podemos holds 44 seats in the Congress of the Deputies, the situation of impasse has persisted.

Once a parliamentary group has decided they could gain enough of the representatives’ support to vote one of their own as President, their proposed candidate meets with the King of Spain, Felipe VI, to discuss the possibility of being invested in. This procedure is simply a formality given the fact the King doesn’t hold any actual powers, all his decisions are authenticated by corresponding bodies of the government. The leader of the political party then makes a speech in front of the rest of the Deputies and Senators, setting up his plan of action and requests their vote. Once this has taken place, the voting begins. If the invested candidate doesn’t receive the absolute majority in the first round of voting another voting session will take place 48 hours later and if he doesn’t acquire the simple majority in the second round then back to drawing table. If no new president is voted in within 2 months since the first investiture session then new elections are called by the King of Spain.

This is the situation Spanish people find themselves in, their representatives were unable to agree upon a candidate thus new elections on June 25th will take place, in the hope of a different turnout (and not so obstinate representatives).

After onlooking this procedure first hand in Spain, I found it satisfying that in the US we don’t have a multiparty system. Given how difficult it is to come to an agreement with two bipolar parties, I couldn’t imagine adding a third to the mix.

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”

Jawaharlal Nehru
1st Prime Minister Of India

This is my pretty generic first post:

I am currently sitting here wondering what I am about to do with my life. In just over a week I will be on a 13 hour flight to spend the next 4 months of my life in the vast country of China. Don’t mind the fact that there are over 1.381 billion people living there or that the entire country is covered in vast and diverse landscape or the fact that China has the largest economy in the world. Or, alluding to the title of this blog, that I literally don’t know how to use chopsticks and the chances of me finding a fork in China are slim, yet alone if I were to find some I would be hard core judged.

I’ve only been to China once before, but I was 8 years old and we were only there for 2 weeks. Now, instead of vacationing with my family, it will just be my newly purchased Go-Pro and I, and the lucky few who have decided to venture to The Beijing Center as well.

For anyone who chooses to read this blog, you’ll quickly learn that I’m obsessed with food, running, and visiting cool landscapes and historical sights. Besides hitting up all of the major tourist destinations including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, I’m hoping to run a half marathon in the Yunnan Province.

I’ve given myself 4 goals for my trip:

1. Try everything (to a reasonable point) & Live in the Moment
2. Don’t be so negative
3. Work on my Mandarin
4. Appreciate culture and learn more about my Heritage

I guess the last important thing to mention is that I chose to study abroad in China because I have about 50% of Asian roots. I’ve grown up speaking Mandarin, but unfortunately I’ve lost a lot of my ability because I never have to speak it at Loyola. So I want to just go and enjoy China, but I also want to learn more about myself, and their culture in general because it is tied into who I am.

Hopefully this trip will either be my own version of Eat, Pray, Love or my own version of the Lizzie McGuire Movie, but whatever it is, I’m ready (kind of) to be pushed out of my comfort zone.

Until the next blog post which will probably occur during or after our 2 week trip to follow the Silk Road …. Peace.

I am, by nature, a very worried person. There is almost never a time when I am not completely stressed out about some aspect of my life. College itself is extremely stressful; any of you can agree that pulling frequent all-nighters and living off caffeine isn’t exactly the ideal lifestyle. Add studying abroad to the picture and you’re setting yourself up for a crazy stressful (and unforgettable) semester.

That being said, I cannot believe what I’m getting myself into. I’m about to be waaaay out of my comfort zone, but in a good way. In just 24 days, I will be boarding a plane at O’Hare, spending 9 hours in the sky, and landing in the beautiful city of Madrid, Spain. But, before I can enjoy the Spanish sun and sangria, I have a lot to accomplish.

Since my summer has consisted of me working 30+ hours a week, I have had very little time to even think about my upcoming semester abroad. My to-do list is a hopeless mess; I’m scribbling new tasks on it every day. My host family has neglected responding to any of my emails, I’m still on the waitlist for two of the classes I’m taking, and I have yet to pay my tuition (oops). I’m completely overwhelmed. Cue panic induced mental freakout.

Another thing I am completely unprepared for is spending an entire 4 months away from Loyola, the city I’m obsessed with, and all the people I love. I am already dreading the goodbyes. Last semester was my best one yet and my heart aches knowing I have to temporarily leave it all behind. I am very confident, however, that I will return in December ready to pick up right where I left off.

Throughout my time in Spain, I hope to update this blog at least once every two weeks. Not only will it be a great way for my family and friends to keep up with my adventures if they so wish, it will also serve as an outlet for my own thoughts and experiences as they happen. I am excited to see how my semester abroad will impact me and help me grow as an individual.

Thank you for taking the time to read my rambling and unorganized first post.

¡Hasta luego!

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by to read my first post, which has ended up being extremely stereotypical and admittedly a little boring. In the future, I would like to be a bit more analytical in my perceptions of South African culture, touching on the subjects of race, gender and sexual orientation, but as I have not yet figured out how to unpack those subjects in a fully comprehensible, respectful and thoughtful way, these next few simple paragraphs will have to do.

As of today, I have been in Stellenbosch, South Africa, for exactly one month. This lovely little town is more charming than I ever could have imagined, and being surrounded by 135 wineries and an endless expanse of mountainous beauty is a lifestyle that I am easily getting used to.

The most difficult, albeit expected, aspect about studying here has been the distance that has, both literally and figuratively, formed between me and my friends and family. Although the university provides campus-wide wifi to all students, the service is not free, and due to the limited internet access, I have become exceedingly aware and thoughtful of which online activities are worth my time, and which aren’t. Obviously, contact with loved ones is important in any circumstance, but I am trying to turn this limitation into an opportunity for personal and independent growth.

In addition, because I haven’t been able to text or call my friends, I have been forced (maybe “pushed” is a better word) to make new friends and quickly form my own little pseudo-family here. And certainly, the absolute most positive thing I have gained from this experience thus far is a sense of family. I am so lucky to live with seven people who make it a joy for me to come home every day. Because we spend the majority of our time together, it feels like we have all known each other for nearly a lifetime. And beyond just my housemates, the entire international office here cultivated such a tight knit sense of community during the first week of orientation that I automatically feel welcome among any group of international students. When applying and preparing for study abroad, I was extremely nervous about meeting new people and being accepted into a new group, but this fear has quickly faded thanks to all the wonderful and unique souls I have met thus far.
My favorite thing to do in Stellenbosch is volunteer for the Animal Welfare Society as a dog walker. Even though the society’s facility is currently far over capacity, the workers and volunteers there continue to tirelessly take impeccable care of every animal in their custody. It is a pleasure to spend half a day walking a couple pups up through the hilly vineyards. Spending time with animals has always been a rewarding and enjoyable activity for me, and I am very happy to have so quickly found an outlet for that hobby. Another (slightly more selfish) way I have been spending my time is by touring many of the aforementioned 135 wineries in and surrounding Stellenbosch. This is a surprisingly affordable pastime, and without fail, an absolute treat. Not only do the wineries offer a vast selection of South African reds and whites, they also almost always offer a wide variety of delicious meals and small plates.

Until next time, my friends.

Literally! One 2 hour flight from Chicago to New York, then a 15 and a half hour flight from New York to Johannesburg, and finally another 2 hour flight from Jo-burg to Cape Town! Spending over 24 hours on a plane or in an airport leaves little room for enjoyment. However, exhaustion and hunger could not stop the excitement from bubbling inside me as I was transferred from the airport to the residence hall where I will live for the next 5 months…

A week later and my excitement has only grown into all out amazement and awe of what South Africa has to offer. So little time here and yet so much has already been accomplished. Our first real tour outside of Cape Town was The Garden Route with this amazing touring company Southern Ambition Africa (highly recommended if you are ever in Cape Town).

Early morning start: The tour started at the wonderful time of 4:45AM. We hopped on a bus and everyone just went right back to sleep. If you were awake, you would have gotten a beautiful view of the early morning sunrise over the mountains. Since it is winter here the temperature was a brisk 0°C which made it impossible for the heater to work on the bus. My fuzzy socks came out to warm my feet but my nose was freezing.

Day 1: The only relaxation time occurred on the bus or for lunch/dinner. Every other second was spent exploring, seeing beautiful scenery, taking pictures, touring new places, and having fun. Our first stop was in Oudtshoorn, “The Ostrich Capital of the World”. Here we stopped at an ostrich farm where we were able to feed the ostriches, get a neck message from the ostriches (I wouldn’t leave a tip though), kiss an ostrich, and even ride an ostrich. The main ostrich we interacted with was named Betsy, she was the nicest. After an amazing lunch, where yes, I had ostrich meat, we got back on the bus and moved right along to the next destination. Caving time! We arrived at the Cango Caves and split up into two groups: the historical walk and the adventure walk. With no hesitation I got on the Adventure Walk train. I ended with bruises and scraped knees but it was worth it. The caves were so beautiful and massive; one of the caves was used as a concert hall in the past. I am shocked that I was able to squeeze myself into some of the spaces. At certain points I had to walk at a ninety degree angle, duck walk, crawl, slide on my butt, slide on my stomach, climb up a chimney-like hole, you name it. Once all was said and done, I was sweaty, in pain, and so happy!

Day 2: Another early morning wake up call. After breakfast it was right back on the bus and off to the next adventure. Elephants. Elephants. Elephants. Elephants! Our first stop of the day took us to the Knysna Elephant Sanctuary. Here, I got to spend the day learning about elephants and how these elephants were brought to the sanctuary and what their rehabilitation process is. Two of the elephants did not have a proper trunk and were unable to eat properly in the wild and so were brought to the sanctuary to learn to adapt to eating with their hurt trunks. The highlight of the trip was being able to walk with the elephants and pet them. It was such an incredible experience. Being near to such a beautiful and magnificent animal was both terrifying and thrilling. Walking with the elephants entailed standing next to their heads while they placed their trunks in your hand. It was adorable and I died a little inside because of how happy I was. Too soon, our time at the sanctuary came to an end and we had to move on. The second stop was a beautiful beach about 30 minutes away from Knysna. At the end of the beach, on a hill, there was an abandoned railroad. This railroad was used as a way for people to travel from Cape Town to Knysna and other parts of the Western Cape. However, due to rough weather, safety issues, and money problems the entire railroad was abandoned. As we climbed up to the railroad the view of the town and the beach were breathtaking. Clouds were rolling in from the sea and had cast a glow over the ocean. We followed the railroad around a bend and through a tunnel until we arrived at our destination. Hidden in the cliff and designed out of a cave lived a man who turned the cliff-side cave into a home. A home not only for himself, but homeless men and women who he has dedicated his life to rehabilitating. Thousands of shells hung from makeshift ceilings, rooms divided by curtains, beds and tables made out of anything, and all only lit by candle light. This man’s generosity turned into something majestic and beautiful to look out. The cave, with one of the best views in the world, is a sanctuary for people who have nothing. It could easily have been a tourist attraction; a five-star restaurant that people would pay hundreds of dollars for just for the view. Instead, it is a home of refuge for so many and hopefully it will forever stay that way.

Day 3: Not surprisingly, our last day of the Garden Route started just as all the others: early. We only had one activity scheduled for today, since we had an eight-hour journey back to Cape Town afterwards, and it was canoeing. Being the lucky person I am , I was paired up with my RA, Lovemore (yes that is his real name). Suffice it to say canoeing with Love was interesting. On our journey out, he had made it his mission to splash, beat, or bump into everyone who was around us. My goal was to just not tip over into the river. The other boats all headed to this grassy area at the end of the river, where we were supposed to go. However, Love and I decided to depart from tradition and head for the random island in the middle. Not a completely wise decision as the island was covered in bird poo, hence Love’s name for it “Poop Island”. After about an hour of exploring “Poop Island” (though it mainly consisted of walking about 50 feet), walking to another beach, talking pictures, and dancing it was time to head back. Our canoe trip back was much calmer, no ramming into other people’s boats. Finally back on solid ground and we hadn’t tipped or fallen in; that is what I call a success!!!

Only a week… That’s all it took for me to fall completely and utterly in love with South Africa. Any apprehension I had about being so far away from home has completely vanished. All my fears about not enjoying myself or having fun are already a thing of a past. If all this can happen in one week I am so excited to discover everything that is to come in the next 5 months!!!

Buongiorno a tutti (Good morning everyone)!

My first post, yay!!! (Un)fortunately, Bachelorette mania is over. *SPOILER: The guy I picked to win, whom was also my favorite since the beginning, won- aka Jordan! I’m starting to think I have a real talent for this sort of thing. Also, Chase for #TheBachelor, amirite??*  Now, with my attention no longer concentrated on who is getting the final rose, I have shifted my focus to two things:

1. Following and stalking Jojo and Jordan on every social media platform possible
2. Packing for Rome!!!

Personally, and I consider this to be one of my biggest flaws, I find it hard to get excited for something until it’s actually happening, until I am finally there experiencing it firsthand. So, this entire summer when people have been asking me if I’m excited or if I’m nervous or if I’m feeling any type of emotion, I give them a polite nod, but in reality, I really don’t feel anything. Of course I can’t wait for the adventures ahead of me, but it’s hard for me to put these feelings into words. However, now that I was given the opportunity to write this blog, and now that my friends and I are discussing all the places we want to go, my cold heart is starting to be warmed by the thoughts of leaving so soon for the Eternal City. I even got a countdown going on: 19 days until departure! Sooo, I wanted my first post to be all about the emotions I have been feeling and to give advice to those of you who may read this as a way to decide whether or not to study abroad at all. Andiamo (Let’s go)!

The summer leading up to my departure has been nothing but a rollercoaster of emotions; however, I have the tendency to internalize what I am feeling. I hate looking weak because in the eyes of others, I should feel nothing but happiness because I am so lucky to get the chance to experience something like this. And don’t get me wrong, I do realize how lucky and privileged I am to be able to undergo such an adventure. But I can’t help but feel distant from the entire thing, it just doesn’t feel real! I have theories as to how its going to be, but I can’t be too sure until I get there. And I’m especially trying not to think about not seeing my family for three months. Yeah there’s Facetime, but after nannying my nephew for the entire summer, it’s just going to be weird not to see him for so long. Hence why I’ve put a wall up. It’s worked so far.

UNTIL, the other day, the anxiety and nerves overtook me out of the blue, which led to an inevitable cry sesh (twas eventually cured with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s The Tonight Dough and a showing of Pride and Prejudice, the Keira Knightly movie version obviously). It was then that I realized how out of control I felt, that I was going across the ocean to places I’ve never seen, and I started to question whether I made the right decision to study abroad. I chose Loyola because I loved the school, but most importantly because it was so close to where my family lives. And I don’t want to question my decision because I definitely know that this is about to be one of the greatest semesters of my life!

I started to read about others experiences and noticed that I wasn’t alone in my feelings of nervousness, which gave me great comfort. I also talked to my friends, who will also be studying abroad, and they emphasized their fears as well. All of this made me realize that having these types of emotions is very normal. You are a departing for a country that you know virtually nothing about. You may know specific landmarks or sites or you may even know a bit of the language and customs like me, but you can’t be sure how exactly life will be until you get there and have lived there among the people and culture for a few days or weeks. I know it’s hard to believe, but you are here for school, so it won’t be all traveling. Instead of focusing on the things that can’t be controlled, such as the people you meet or the experiences you may have, try to center your mind on what’s important, that being your education. These thoughts have calmed me because it reminds me that there will be people in my classes who are going to be experiencing everything at the same time as me. So, I keep telling myself ‘Don’t be afraid to ask for help! This isn’t a sign of weakness, it just means you are willing to learn.’

To reiterate, it’s okay to feel things, whatever they may be. The worst thing you can do is be like me and bottle these emotions and then have them all hit you like a train. When you think about it, everything in life is a leap of faith. Every choice you make isn’t an easy one, but I am a firm believer in doing what makes you uncomfortable. Yeah, that sounds weird, but by doing the things that make your stomach clench with nerves, the chance to learn a lot about yourself is there. The only person who is stopping you is you.

As the weeks go by, you’ll learn that I love to blab on and on and on, but I just have a lot to say! (-: I want this blog to be a lot of things. I want to highlight my experiences for my friends and family, I want to give advice and tips to future study abroad goers, and I want this to be a source of clarity to those of you who may have questions or concerns.

I hope you all find enjoyment in reading this as much as I did writing it.

Arrivederci i miei amici (Goodbye my friends)! <3

–Clare