Staring blankly up at the ceiling of a French hospital, I distantly understood that I was in trouble, but could find no words to explain how I felt. Speaking in French to explain my situation to the doctor was impossible, as I was no longer sure that I could speak any language. Time moved differently, jumping back and forth between clear memories of before the accident and the fuzzy, confused reality of after. My head felt eerily empty, quieter than I had ever experienced it. I had a vague sense of who I was- I knew my name, at least- but could not understand how I had gotten to be in this state.

Here’s some eggs for your gallo pinto - ¡Buen provecho!” I glance at the time on my phone… 6:15AM. Time to start my day. 

My week begins with class in the afternoon after lunch. Unlike Iowa we have blocks of time for class every day: 8-11am for the morning block and 1-4pm for the afternoon. What more could a science major from the University of Iowa ask for than a late Monday class and no classes on Friday? It is one of the many gifts of this abroad experience. When I’m not in school my free time is completely filled with other activities.

My free time looks a bit different than that of a student studying abroad. For my student teaching semester, I teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in an elementary school Monday - Thursday from 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. - noon. Moreover, my social circle includes my host family and the teachers with whom I work. Thankfully, I have been blessed enough to make some great friends with various other teachers my first two weeks of teaching and have already had many adventures as a result.

Things won’t always go according to plan. In fact, they almost never do when you’re traveling. So, it’s better to remind yourself off the bat.