Bonjour à tous! My name is Michelle Ohlwiler, and I am a sophomore Marketing major and French minor at the University of Florida. I have studied the French language and culture since I was in 7th grade. As I’ve continued to study the culture, I’ve only grown more in love with France. I’ve dreamt of living in … Continue reading How to Pack for 10 Weeks in Paris
What makes an experience great? Maybe it is traveling to one of the seven wonders of the world, and being able to experience it in beautiful weather. Or maybe it is being able to climb a private section of a landmark and experience breathtaking views. There was something about climbing the Great Wall of China … Continue reading Nothing Greater than the Great Wall
Before arriving in Paris, I really worried about deciphering Paris’s Métro system since I would have to use it every day for my internship. However, I felt extremely comfortable with the Métro within the first three days I was there. Here are the steps that I used to crack the Métro’s code. “Study” Paris’s Geography. … Continue reading How to Master the Parisian Métro
The reason why I love to travel is because I get to experience different cultures and compare them to mine. Everyone has a different view on the world and it is really refreshing to see and hear new beliefs. After spending a week filled with constant traveling, meeting new people, and becoming closer to our already … Continue reading Week One and Done
This past week was my last week in Florence. I'm so sad. We started out our week by taking a day trip to Sienna with one of our groups in our program. We toured the small city and learned a lot about the history it holds! Two of my roommates and myself went to lunch … Continue reading Don’t Make Me Leave Florence
Last Thursday night, we decided that it was high time for us to to a Flamenco show. We've been in Spain for a little over three weeks and we still hadn't experienced Spain's most traditional and cultural form of dance. Though Flamenco originated in Sevilla, it is still common in other parts of Spain as … Continue reading Experiencing the Art of Flamenco and the Castle of Xátiva
Life in Morocco is extremely different from life in America. In Fes, there is the old medina (city) and the new medina. I live in the new medina with my friend, Anna. The only thing I don’t like about living in the new medina is that everyone else in my program lives in the old … Continue reading Ya Allah (Oh my God)
The time has come where the big suitcases are packed back up as we prepare for our Florence departure. As my roommates and I are in cleaning and packing our apartment back up, we are reminiscing over our past 4 weeks and how it seems we just moved in yesterday. Florence has created a very … Continue reading Ciao, Firenze
Within my first week in Toulouse I’ve already had the pleasure of culture shock with a side of language barrier but that hasn’t stopped me from experiencing such a great time with this program. When I normally travel, the destinations are not too different from what I’m used to but being in a country where … Continue reading Unpacking more than the suitcase
Before my departure, I knew three things: China does not have a huge Black population. Color-ism still existed, having a paler skin tone was mainstreamed. Less than 6% of Black students, in the U.S, study abroad during their undergrad years. During the first week for sure, I WAS CHINA GO HOME -.-” This homesickness was … Continue reading FlywithCy: Being Black in China Means that I’m Beyonce`, clearly.
The rest of our spring break trip went by in a blur. We tried new food like spätzle in Vienna, pork knuckle in Berlin, and dumplings of every shape and size in Prague. We also had a colorful brunch with two friends from home when we visited them in Hamburg. Saying we ate well would … Continue reading Travel Tips
