Hello! My name is Ruby, and I use the pronouns they/them in English and elle in Spanish. I wanted to document my experience as an out and proud trans person living abroad and also someone who uses the emerging pronoun: “elle.” Many Spanish speakers similarly use the pronoun in the same way many English speakers use “they,” to signify that one’s gender identity is non-conforming or outside of the binary.
Now that my time in London has officially ended, I’ve been reflecting on how much happened in what felt like such a short amount of time. Before leaving, I thought this experience would mainly be about gaining professional experience through my internship—but it became so much more than that.
One of my dreams has always been to travel and see the world. In fact, my top three countries to visit were the UK, Italy, and France. So, this study abroad program meant a lot to me and was an amazing experience I’ll always remember. With that said, I would encourage other students to study abroad because they will get to experience a whole new world and culture that most people can’t experience. Also, studying abroad can motivate students to pursue their dreams, as they build connections and see new things that inspire them.
Most of these pictures and videos are from the last couple of days of our 30-day trek. It was an incredible experience that I got much more out of than I expected. Being surrounded by such amazing people, both staff and students, allowed me to fully be present while I was in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Jack Livingston, Wildlands Studies
Hello, Giana here. I have officially been home from Europe for a week! If I am being completely honest, the return was a bit rocky; my checked luggage was overweight from all the trinkets I was planning to bring home. Other than that, the journey home was as smooth as possible. First, I had a two-hour flight to Germany, then another from Germany to Oregon. My flight was 10 hours long. I was pretty exhausted, mainly because I'd pulled an all-nighter beforehand so I could sleep the whole flight.
On the last day of my internship, my parents arrived in Stockholm, and I spent the next three days showing them around the city. While I was making an itinerary of what I wanted to show them, I realized how much I had done during the program. This realization was comforting because in the final two weeks, I had begun to worry whether I had seen or done enough. I wanted to rest after the workday and get a head start on packing, but I kept worrying that there was something in Stockholm I was missing.
Studying abroad was an experience that I will never forget. I was able to meet new people from other schools and make lifelong connections. Copenhagen was truly the most amazing place, and I cannot recommend it enough. The photos below showcase various locations in Copenhagen (Rosenborg Castle, Nyhavn) and the weather conditions encountered there from January to May.
Frances Colpoys, DIS Copenhagen
In general, my time abroad has been going well. I'm realizing it's my first time living in a big city, and the culture has motivated me and inspired my work. It was a bit of an adventure getting here and settling in, and now that we are in a work routine, I'm truly soaking in the experience and my time abroad. As the time we have here is fleeting, I am trying to make the most of it. We had the opportunity to visit the Alhambra and the Great Mosque, both of which were incredible.
Hello! This is Hana again. Since my first week in London, my time abroad has been just as exciting and fulfilling as I hoped. I came here hoping to gain real-world experience in an international business environment, and through my internship at The Edwardian Hotel, I’ve been learning a lot—especially about AI search and its impact on business success. I’ve seen how businesses now have to think beyond traditional marketing and focus on how they appear in AI-driven search results, how to optimize their digital presence, and how to anticipate customer behavior.
