I’ve been home now for a week. I have the highlights of my year and month long backpacking trip planned and polished for when I’m asked, I’ve seen both sides of my extended family, and …
Academic Year 2015-2016
Study, travel, repeat
Spring is descending upon Madrid and lifting me out of an academic-induced stupor. The sun sets around nine, taking its time in its daily arc, and the reality of my impending final exams and essays …
When you host everyone under the sun
Life in Madrid has continued as normal, with the exception of the amount of visitors I’ve hosted for the past five weekends. This might give a clue to why I haven’t posted for a while: …
The People of Tsinghua in Beijing
Mid-march, spring brings along warm weather, up 20 degrees Celsius, or about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Flowers buds are occasionally spotted, sprinkled across naked tree branches. A blanked of grey covers the campus. I try to …
Making use of the time at Tsinghua
To best utilize time at Tsinghua, don’t focus on the courses here. Using UW Madison as a standard, the coursework at Tsinghua doesn’t come to par. It’s the connections with the people in Beijing, in …
On the meaning of home
I’ve been having a lot of conversations recently about place and identity, and the fact that I’ve been away from home for so long just hit me when I visited an old friend studying in …
Day Two of Celebrating the Holidays in Beijing
The holidays in Beijing have begun. We call it Chinese New Year’s, Lunar New Year in the States. China it’s the Spring Festival or simply New Years. Traditionally, it’s a two-week long celebration, running from …
A Taste of Andalucía
In the months of October and November, I ended up visiting Andalucía, the southern part of Spain, three different times. The first trip I took was to Córdoba with my program, except this time it …
Adventures in Munich
I’d like to start this blog post off by apologizing to any readers. I have not blogged since October on account of a few very busy months and my incredible procrastination skills. Here is a …
Here, there, and everywhere
Winter break is behind me and I’ve returned to Madrid, exhausted, resistant to starting classes again, but content. It’s strange to see so many of my friends prepare to go abroad, watching them through the …