By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Before you go abroad this spring, you’re probably feeling nervous and excited, and maybe a little worried about leaving USC and your friends there behind. All of these are completely normal emotions, and as you learned in your Overseas Studies Orientation, there will inevitably times where you feel homesick not only for your family, but for your Trojans and the familiarity and comfort USC has offered you all these semesters.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

During my last few days in Managua, I had the absolute privilege of celebrating La Gritería with my amazing host family, our last hurrah. The holiday was described to us by our program director, Anita, as a mix between Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas, so my expectations were obviously high

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

For all those who have studied abroad and those who are welcoming home loved ones who were abroad, it is important to recognize that reverse culture shock is a very real phenomenon; it takes time and patience to readjust to life back in the U.S.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Some say do what you love and you’ll never work in your life. Others like to take it farther and ruin things by adding “because that field probably isn’t hiring.” Usually about this point I interject and tell them how Global Studies is an up- and-coming field and literally the entire world is my oyster, but that’s not the direction I’m heading with this post. As finals begin to affect your sleep schedule and maybe even your hygiene, I want to encourage you to take a short, well-deserved break to ask yourself why you’re doing all this in the first place.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Today, November 25, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, an international recognition of the violence against women that is not confined to a specific region, country, religion, culture, or societal standing.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

I’m in Matagalpa now which is super cool compared to Managua, both in terms of climate and also just in terms of the general vibes it projects. I’m working on my ISP which stands for Independent Study Project, emphasis on the independent.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

It’s been far too long since I’ve posted and I’m not really sure where to begin exactly, but drawing from The Sound of Music, let’s start from the very beginning, the beginning is the place to start.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

If you kept up with my previous posts this summer, then feel free to skip this paragraph guilt-free, but if not, allow me to fill you in. From the end of May to mid-July, I participated in a study abroad program through Dornsife in which we took two Spanish courses and learned a whole lot outside the classroom, too.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

My first excursion outside of Madrid was to Barcelona because I have the good fortune of having family there at the moment and I needed a familiar face so badly I would have settled for a photo of a familiar face. Or maybe a 3D printed copy now that 3D Printers are a thing. But I didn’t have to settle, because I had the real thing- my cousin Bob is living and working in Barcelona with 14 other entrepreneurs and he graciously hosted my friend, Lauren, who is studying in Granada, and myself. Blood is thicker than water, as they say, and speaking of this, the water in Barcelona is mierda so you gotta buy it bottled everywhere you go.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Last weekend, I had the distinct pleasure of representing the good old US of A, along with my roommate, as a delegate of sorts, if you will, at a 150-person, super exclusive fiesta about 40 minutes from Madrid hosted by an affluent friend of my host brother. Mind you, I didn’t ever participate in Model UN or even take the course when it was available to me sophomore year of high school (I took Comparative Religions instead because I wanted to open my mind and also because there were so many field trips), but I think after hearing how well I mingled, you may be willing to overlook my lack of qualifications.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

You may be thinking to yourself, “Grace, what? How did you get carded in Madrid? Isn’t the drinking age there 18? Aren’t you several years older? I’ve always thought you have such a maturity about you well beyond your years!”

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Time to break out my ‘Ello Govnah playlist, which I’ve been constructing for upwards of 13 months now, because I’m about to leave for the airport to Londrés, which translates very nicely to London.