May Hamid is a CISabroad alumna who interned in Barcelona, Spain. May studied at Virginia Commonwealth University. Join her journey through life as she learns to further appreciate the world and strives to reach her goals.

There is magic in the world. Mermaids exist, somewhere beyond where our eyes have seen. Everywhere flowers bloom as the sun rays touch their petals. The leaves drink droplets of rain when clouds grace us with gloom. Every sight of life is a song of visions, every sound of it an ocean. It’s almost effortless to marvel in.

Yet at times we forget to notice its beauty, and it is such a shame that we allow ourselves to close our eyes to all the perfect details that gather to form such an imperfect place. We consign to oblivion, and find ourselves missing all the things that are not in our vicinities. It’s true, the grass is greener on the other side, but truth be told that is not just the case, because as colossal as home is to define, most of the time it is defined depending on where the heart is, and so we miss where we love the most.

But the thing about the world is that in every place there is something most beautiful, and in every case a best scenario, in order to articulate that rationale we start by allowing ourselves to keep an open-mind about the world and see everything the world has to offer. Because the world is a gift, and it is our duty to live it as fully and as possibly as we can.

I have never noticed how crucially necessary it is to understand the power that lies not only in the world but also inside of us; to know that it is in our hands to decide on whether or not we want to choose to write our own fates. See, we are told more than a hundred times through our short years that in life there are always those that do, and those that don’t do, and it’s a fact that we all like to think that we are the “doers” and that we are better than others.

Yet when the moment arrives, and you truly realize you are better than others — that you are doing something, going somewhere, writing your own fate — it feels as though it’s an epiphany or a dream that has come to you as you lay awake. It’s like you’re watching your own life happen right in front of your eyes, knowing all the events that are happening and what they will lead to, slowly but so quickly.

Being alone has allowed me to dive into my inner strength, and I cannot describe how fulfilling and powerful it feels to have a glimpse of this sort of power. But as powering as it feels, it is also terrifying, because the knowledge of it means that I understand and completely acknowledge the fact that I am also my own greatest enemy and that the most difficult challenge I face is continuously overcoming that fear.

The journey is not the destination. Because life is a journey, and our goals are our destinations, to get there, there is a road. All I know is I just got on the road, and I’m not planning on stopping until I get to my destination.

Jenna Holeman is a CISabroad student studying in Ireland this semester, originally hailing from Ohio University. Read on as she talks about spending her senior year abroad and feeling like a freshman once again.

This week marked the start of my senior year! I actually felt more like a freshman with the Dublin City University map in my hand trying to locate the right buildings. Ahh, nostalgia. The first few days back are always a bit of a struggle. I’ve learned a lot this week, though. So here are a few tidbits from my experience:

Your courses will change, but don’t stress.

Being a senior, there are only so many classes I’m allowed to take, so when I saw my schedule a feeling of panic swept over me. Nearly half the classes my advisor approved weren’t offered or were full, so I was put into random filler classes. My biggest concern was not getting the transfer credits to match the classes I need at my home school. They offered timetable sessions to fix schedules and answer questions.   The whole process felt a little unorganized and frustrating, but I made it through and got into the courses I needed. With the wide variety of courses offered, you’re bound to find classes that will work for you. Just be patient, and it will work itself out.

The grading system is very different.

Students who are only studying for one semester are required to take courses that are 100 percent continuous assessment. This means no final exam. Great news, right? Well…I am not convinced. Most of my classes rely heavily on 2 major grades: a final presentation and a final paper.  That’s a lot of pressure to be graded on only two things the entire semester. We’ll see how this goes. I’ll report back.

Fashion/Style

At my home university, I wouldn’t blink an eye if I saw someone in sweats and a T-shirt with no makeup on. However, at DCU, the students dress very nice. Whether it be to class or the clubs, they don’t slack on their outfits. I had a false perception of what I thought Irish people wore based on the European movies I had seen, and I would say their going out attire is typically very club-y. Dresses and skirts seem to be in high demand right now. Thank God for Penneys – an amazing department store with great clothing options.

Weekends

DCU is very much a suitcase campus, meaning students usually go home for the weekends.  Typically, universities in the U.S. will have many of their social events on the weekends. In Ireland, students tend to go out to parties and clubs during the weekdays rather the weekends, which I thought was interesting and difficult for waking up for that 9 a.m. class. The weekends are a perfect time to travel to other countries or explore Ireland because you know you won’t be missing any campus parties. There are plenty of excursions planned through CISabroad to keep you busy!

Until next time!

Jenna

May Hamid is a CISabroad alumna who interned in Barcelona, Spain. May studied at Virginia Commonwealth University. Read on as she reflects on the beautiful city she promised herself she would return to — and then she did.

We are curious creatures, born to watch, observe and analyze. We’re determined to find answers to questions we’re not sure we understand and make up stories about the ones we feel that we do.

I stand still in the midst of a chaotic street, miles away from any home I ever had, and observe. My eyes glance the immensity of the world, and I sense the vastness of the intensity of a busy city. I sigh, in awe of the beauty that mesmerizes me and of the artistic values this street contains. I wander more and see colors everywhere, through fashionable styles and determined glances. As I look in the eyes of the people crossing by, I realize what allures me is neither the antiquity nor the delicacy of La Rambla; it’s how gracefully its people swaddle around to their directions. I become scrutinized by the glamour of the lights and the colors, and I get drunk on their bloom.

But more than that I become envious and determined to become a part of these people, to have a direction that I would rush towards everyday, their confidence, knowledge and grace. I become enamored with the lifestyle, and resolve that the day will come when I become a version of myself that I would be envious of as well.

5 years later…

My name is May, like the month. It’s September 15, 2016. I’ve been here for around three days. I sit in an office I do not own in the middle of the city I fell in love with years ago, and my mind wanders back to the day I decided I would come back. I look out my window at the breath-taking view, and I breathe in the smell of the city. It feels the exact same way. I’m still in awe of its beauty.

This summer Calla is doing an internship in Ecuador with CISabroad. She studies Psychology/Pre-Nursing at Michigan State University. You can read more about Calla’s adventures in Ecuador here.

I’ve been living in Riobamba, Ecuador for six weeks now and, for three and a half of those weeks, I have technically been living alone.  While this was a fun experience at first, I quickly realized how grateful I am for my roommates back at school.  It can get a bit lonely when there are no other people around at the end of the day to chat with.  I am fortunate, however, to live two doors down from my incredible site director, Omar, and his family.

I eat breakfast and dinner at Omar’s house every day and I am so thankful to him, Suzy, and their two-year-old son, Aaron for never making me feel as though I am imposing.  Having such a great family looking out for me while I’ve been in a foreign country has made me feel so lucky.  It has also been really beneficial for me in terms of learning more Spanish because we watch the news together every night and I am able to pick up words by watching and discussing various topics that come up.

It has also been really nice having a small child around to practice some Spanish with.  Although it’s a bit embarrassing to admit, I’ve actually learned a decent amount from watching children’s shows with Aaron during breakfast every morning.  The characters in cartoons for young children tend to speak slower and point at what they’re talking about which is really really helpful to me as a person who has not taken a formal Spanish class since high school.  I’ve also learned some words as Aaron has learned them because one of his favorite games is to point at something and wait for someone to tell him the name of the object in question.

In addition to having a wonderful family, Omar also makes some of the best eggs I’ve ever had.  Every morning, I eat some form of eggs and every morning they’re better than the next.  I need to ask what sort of seasoning he puts in his scrambles before I leave, so that I can take it home and improve my own breakfast skills.

As much as I have enjoyed my internship this summer, I can honestly say that Omar and his family have made this experience for me.  Had I gone to work every day and then come home to an empty house with no one to talk to, I think I would have gotten very lonely very quickly.  Luckily, although I did come home to an empty house, I also had plenty of time at the beginning and end of every day to chat with Omar, Suzy, and Aaron.  If I ever return to Ecuador, one of my first stops will definitely be Riobamba to visit the Mosqueras.

This summer Eden is studying in Limerick, Ireland with CISabroad, and doing an internship in Dublin, Ireland. Eden studies at Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your international summer course!

1. ---

   Be Present

Of course show up to class and be on time but not only that, be present in the discussion and context of the classroom. Do not dismiss the material because the context of the information is about a country you are not a citizen of. I did not realize this until I was actually in the classroom and I found myself learning how interconnected one country is to another. We often do not consider that another country is experiencing many of the same problems and successes our home country is. So, be present and make those connections.

2. Ask Questions.

In my case I was lucky because I took a class in an English speaking country, so I could understand the majority of what my professors were saying. Although with language aside, there are still barriers with certain accents, slang, and cultural references that you may not understand, so do not be afraid to speak up. Ask what something means or tell your professor that you do not understand his/her accent. It is easy to fall into being shy or afraid when you’re in a new environment which causes many people to not speak up, and in the end they cheat themselves out of a rewarding learning experience. It is important to ask questions within any context and even more so when you’re in a new country.

     3.  Research

Summer classes go by very fast and it can be difficult to absorb so much information in a limited amount of time. I felt as though I learned many new things about a foreign country that I never knew before, but I also felt to fully understand the information I skimmed the surface of, I needed to do more research. Summer classes are, in a way, an introduction to a foreign country’s politics, laws, ideas, struggles, and achievements that are only being thrown your way for a few short weeks. Doing additional research after a summer class abroad gives much more insight and depth to what you’ve already learned and will make you feel more connected to that country even after you’ve left.