| Major(s) | Organismal Biology |
| Hobbies | Gardening and taking care of my houseplants, hiking, swimming, and drawing |
| Hometown | San Francisco, California |
| Program/Study Site | SIT: Change and the Arctic - Iceland and Greenland |
Why study abroad?
To me, study abroad is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture and environment of a different country, and spend time with the locals instead of just visiting all of the tourist spots.
Why did you choose Iceland & Greenland?
I wanted to learn more about climate change outside my major, and from a non-American perspective. Also, I had been to Iceland before and wanted to explore the country more!
What courses did you enroll in while abroad?
- Changing Ecosystems and Resilience in the Arctic
- Climate Modelling
- Research Methods and Ethics in the Arctic
- Independent Study
What was your living situation?
We stayed in various hostels in different cities in Iceland and Greenland, and spent three weeks with a host family in the Westfjords of Iceland.
What did you do for fun?
We hiked, cooked together, spent time with our host families, went thrift shopping, and enjoyed the nightlife.
Highlights of the program:
Spending time outdoors in the beautiful Icelandic landscape, taking a boat ride to a glacier outlet in Greenland, and bonding with our host families and the other students in the program.
The most challenging aspects of your experience:
The initial awkwardness of getting to know the twelve other people in the program at once, moving frequently and living out of a suitcase for three months, and adjusting to the shorter days in the winter.
Final comments or suggestions for future participants:
I wish I had left some space in my suitcase for the items that I would accumulate over the course of the program. I tend to overpack to be prepared, so I don’t think that there is anything that I forgot to bring, and I probably should have brought slightly less clothing.
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