The first semester of my year in Svalbard has finished, and I simply cannot believe how fast it has gone by. It feels like I blinked and suddenly the sun set and polar night started, the sky lighting up with the moon and northern lights rather than the sun. But time truly doesn't go by any faster than when you are having the time of your life. I am so excited that the semester ending doesn't mean the end of my time in Svalbard, because I am studying at UNIS until June.

Image

Hi everyone!

So, frankly, my perspective has changed quite a bit since my last blog post. My time in Japan previously both traveling and as a student did not prepare me for the Japanese workplace in the way I thought it would. This was to be expected, but here I am. There's been a lot of challenges for me in terms of feeling like I can't be myself at all and very much attempting to put myself into the typical office worker box in order to 'conform' because otherwise I feel like I will be scolded or something bad will happen to me.

Image

I am just over my three month mark livi

From advising at my desk to a personal experience: How an advisor visit to a GEO Center Transformed my study abroad advising

Traveling abroad for the first time is exciting—but it can also feel overwhelming. As someone who recently returned from Costa Rica with the GEO Staff Grant program, I want to share a few insights and tips to help future students feel confident, prepared, and ready to embrace the adventure ahead.

Image

This summer, I had the privilege of representing the University of Oregon as a

Image

I will be flying home in less than two weeks

First off, let me establish who I am and my expectations being a Diverse Duck abroad. I’ve actually been to Japan many times now—this would be my third or fourth trip—and the last time I went was for an 8 month study abroad program in Osaka (hence why I want to return there, I fell in love with the city.)