GEO Blog

I came to Greece expecting blue seas, ancient ruins, and way too much feta (spoiler: I was right). But throughout my travels, I learned just how much my identity as a diverse duck would shape my experience of this country. From the start, living in Greece has been the most eye-opening chapter of my…

Image Hello! My time abroad so far has been wonderful. It's been great to get out of my comfort zone and explore Europe. The first part of my experience — Politics in London — was easy to adjust to because everyone I met was really friendly and…

Kalimera from Athens, Greece! My name is Lane Abraham (they/them), and I am a senior Educational Foundations major in the College of Education. I am a Eugene native, born and raised. Through this Diverse Duck Ambassador experience, I want to highlight what it's like to travel as a Queer and Non-…

Image Hi! My name is Will (he/him), and I'm from Sandy, OR! I recently, walked at graduation in June, so my GEO program, Studio Art in Athens, is actually my last class at UO. During my time at UO, I was an English major and art minor. After UO,…

Image As my time abroad comes to a close and preparations start to settle back into life at the University of Oregon, I've been reflecting on what it feels like to return. In some ways, it's surprising how quickly you can slide back into old…

There has never been a feeling comparable to the one I felt when I left Siena this past August. You tend to not realize the full impact of an experience you go through until it's left in hindsight, and that has never been more true than last week when I said goodbye to Siena. So many aspects made…

Image Hi everyone! My name is MacKenzie Snider, and growing up in a family spread across continents, I was fortunate to experience the value of international travel from a young age. My parents instilled in me a deep appreciation for cultural…

Hello, it's Morgan Pagel. I have really been missing Siena, Italy! Coming home has been very bittersweet, and I find myself wishing I was back abroad. I enjoyed my time there so much!One big adjustment I've been getting used to is the jetlag. Waking up at five in the morning for a week straight was…

As I return to daily life in the U.S., I wanted to share some of my experiences coming back into my hometown in Texas after my time in Heredia, Costa Rica. I had the best time in Costa Rica and have been noticing some of the differences in the way of life compared to my experience in the U.S. Some…

It’s crazy how two weeks can change the perception of the world around you. The last 16 days in Siena have been just enough to give me a real sense of comfort, and for the first time in years, I feel a part of a culture I’m immersed in. Between making friends with the local workers, learning and…