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Entry #1 NSE process and a lil trip to St. Thomas 07/14/2021

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Entry #2

8/8/2021 It's almost time to go!!

Leaving for St. Thomas in two days and I'm feeling all kinds of emotions - anxious, excitement, nervous and more. While on exchange, I hope to dive into Caribbean culture and meet many new friends. I want to make relationships with other NSE students but also make connections with locals. I definitely want to keep up with my classes and grades but I also plan on going to the beach everyday so I might be studying on a towel in the sand. I have never traveled by myself so I an getting nervous about flying there alone but I know I can do it! As a future teacher, I hope to learn about all kinds of different people so that when I teach children I can be able to have an open mind and understand them to the best of my ability.

After a super weird year of staying in and having to adjust to the pandemic, I knew I wanted to go somewhere far away and experience new things. At first, I wanted to study abroad, but after looking through a myriad of different programs, schools, and countries, I found NSE<3. The financial aspect of traveling was something I had to consider and paying USC's tuition was a huge aspect that lead me to chose this program. I also was very interested in some of the places offered like Hawaii, New York, Cali, and most of all, the Virgin Islands. I recently visited St. Thomas with my parents and I immediately fell in love with the culture, the scenery, and the people. We got to visit a couple beautiful beaches and go snorkeling. I was also able to drive through campus and I really liked it. The process was pretty easy to apply - there were a few meetings, an application, and lots of paperwork. The next steps are where things tended to get more complicated with getting classes approved and completing different requirements to get in. The people in charge over there are definitely on island time, which can be frustrating when you have an important question. Although, I'm also pretty laid back and so far have found it comforting that the vibe is always chill. I haven't really started to pack, but I've been doing quite a bit of shopping and feel excited and ready to leave!!

Entry #3

Arrival and First Impressions 8/14/2021

It's absolutely amazing here. As soon as I walked out of the plane it felt like it was meant to be. I left Myrtle Beach at six in the morning, had a layover in Fort Lauderdale, and then landed in St. Thomas around two in the afternoon. I was worried about getting a taxi but as soon as I walked out of the airport someone was outside directing everyone and it ended up being so easy. Getting my room key and navigating through campus also wasn't too hard. The view from my dorm is amazing and I don't have a roommate yet so it's all mine for now. I definitely understand what island time is lol I was warned. Basically everything is so laid back here it's almost to the point where some things seem disorganized. So far I love it! Great energy here and I'm so happy to see what this year brings me.

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Entry #4

Sunny Skies and Loving my Roomies 08/24/2021

So far the weather here has been amazing. I was expecting rain and thunderstorms often due to it being hurricane season, but it has only rained a few times since I've been here. Just about everyday it is sunny with a few clouds and when it does rain, it lasts about an hour at most. It is extremely hot here but i've honestly adjusted well because I'm already used to the Columbia and Myrtle Beach heat. Some people in my program are not used to the weather at all like my suite mate from Alaksa. She's definitely not used to the heat but she's starting to adjust. I really like all my roommates and everyone in my program is really fun and kind. 

Entry #5

Classes and Campus 9/02/2021

Classes have started and it's not too bad but I mean classes are classes. I'm taking five online and then one in person which is snorkeling. Snorkeling is by far my favorite, we've just been practicing swimming strokes but plan to start actually snorkeling next week. My other classes are fine, a lot of things are pretty disorganized here like my professors struggle with zoom and blackboard, but it doesn't bother me because if they can't figure it out we end class early lol. I love going to the gym and the library - both are super nice! I've also been enjoying the cafeteria food; at first it wasn't so good but they've been making changes so that everyones needs are taken care of. So far I'm still loving life here so much.

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Entry #6 St. John and Water Island 9/12/2021

Everything is going great!! About two weekends ago, the NSE group here traveled to Water Island and visit Honeymoon Beach. It was so beautiful there was a tire swing hung in the midst of the palms. Dhalia, the coordinator here also drove us to the military forts that were used during WWII. I'm not normally big into history, but it was so interesting looking and listening about the forts. Last weekend, a group of friends and I caught the ferry over to St. John and had a lovely time there. It's only a $12 boat ride when you show your student ID. This was my third time going to St. John - the first and second time I visit Trunk Bay, and this weekend I tried out Honeymoon Bay. Both beaches are amazing with turquoise water, but the snorkeling at Trunk is the best! After spending the day on the beach in St. John, my friends and I ate at a restaurant near the dock and danced at the bars until the last ferry was scheduled to leave. 

Entry #7 Out of my Comfort Zone 9/22/2021

Every so often we have hall meeting in West dorm that I live in. In our last meeting that happened about a week or so ago, my RA informed us about the notorious ~initiation~ which is a dance off between each dorm. The idea sounded cool and nothing like we do at USC, but I am no dancer and was at first excited to watch. Wellllll my friends peer pressured me into participating, promising that it will be... "fun". And I can't lie, we've had a few practices and I actually have had a great time laughing, dancing and getting to know more girls in West. Initiation is in two weeks and the team isn't bad!! I'm looking forward to shaking some a$$ and kicking some a$$ when the time comes! This is something I would never do at USC or anywhere, but i'm proud of myself for doing something out of my comfort zone.

Entry #8 Favorite Restaurants 10/01/2021

Entry #9 Winning Initiation and Joining Garden Club 10/10/2021

Entry #10 Visit from Parents 10/19/2021

There are so many amazing restaurants to eat on the island. This past weekend, a couple friends and ate at the Easterly on Friday night and the food was incredible. I had oysters on the half shell and cooked octopus - so good! It's a super nice restaurant that I wouldn't visit frequently because of the priced but great for a fancy dinner or special occasion. Another place I love is Barefoot Buddha. My friends and I go there on weekdays to grab a coffee or smoothie and get some homework done.

Initiation happened last weekend and WE WON!! There were four teams to represent each of the dorm and my girls and I took home the first place trophy! It was so incredibly fun and all our hard work and late night practiced totally paid off. This past week, I also joined the garden club at UVI. Since I don't have to dance anymore, I had some free time and love all the nature and plants on campus. The group is so welcoming and fun and I've really enjoyed working in the garden and watering the plants.

Last weekend my sweet parents came to visit me and we had the most lovely weekend. We tried some new restaurants, visit new beaches and even went to Saint John. We went to Iggy's beach bar on Bolongo Bay and listen to some live music and walked on the beach at sunset on Friday. On Saturday we took the barge to St. John and went to Cinnamon bay which was SO beautiful! Some of my friends came later and met up with us. It was very comforting to see my parents who I've missed so much. <3

Entry #12 
11/06/2021
Halloween and St. John
 

Last weekend was Halloween and it was so fun dressing up with my friends and going down town to the Halloween parties in Havensite. I didn't know if it was widely celebrated here, but I was pleasantly surprised with how many people were out and dressed up. On campus we had fun activities all throughout last week like mask painting, pumpkin carving (my pumpkin came in third place) and a campus horror movie night. I was also able to go to st. John and explore Maho Bay. I hadn't been to that beach yet and it was so beautful. My friend's parents were out on their boat that same day so we got to swim out to them and hang on their catamaran for a few hours before heading back to the ferry to come home. Overall, a lovely weekend.

Entry #11 A Day in the Life
10/29/2021

This morning I woke up at 8 a.m. and made some oatmeal and coffee in my dorm. After fully waking up, I worked on some assignments and sipped my coffee till about 9:30 a.m. and then got ready for the gym. I walked to the gym (which is like a 7 min walk) and worked out for an hour. Before I left, I changed into my bathing suit and headed to the beach. I could never leave the gym without jumping in the ocean after! I hung out at the beach for a little tanning, reading and I even snorkeled for a little bit - I saw 7 turtles:) Then I left around 12:30 and went to the caf to grab lunch. I took it back to my dorm and ate with my wonderful roommates. After that I cleaned up my room for a little while, painted my nails and then had class. Today I had Women's Literature and Language Theory from 2:30 to 5:15. So. Fun. After that, I raced back to the caf to grab dinner and then left to go back to the beach for sunset with my friends. It was so beautiful tonight! I came back up when it got dark, showered, and watched a movie with the roommies before going to sleep.

Entry #13 11/28/2021
Puerto Rico and Exams!!

Instead of going home for Thanksgiving, a few of my friends and I decided to take a girls trip to Puerto Rico for a few days. Was it smart to plan the trip days before our finals?? No:) But did we do it anyway have fun? Yes, yes we did. We took a 15 minute plane ride to the beautiful island and stayed in Old San Juan. We went zip lining, shopping, ate so many tacos, and enjoyed the beaches there. It was a perfect getaway to relax before the stress of exams hit us. When we got back we were all ready to grind and that's exactly what I did. My exams weren't to hard they were really just a few essays and presentations. ended with five A's and a B - yay!

Entry #13    11/15/2021
Rating the Beaches - best to "worst"

Trunk Bay (St John)

Honeymoon Beach (water island)

Cinnamon beach (St. John)

Maho Bay (St. John)

Honeymoon (St. John)

Lindquist (St. Thomas)

Brewers bay (St. Thomas)

Magens Bay (St. Thomas)

Secret Harbour (St. Thomas)

Lindbergh / Emerald (St. Thomas)

Hull Bay (St. Thomas)

Coki Beach (St. Thomas)

Balongo Bay (St. Thomas)

Entry #14 New Year and Returning to St. Thomas
1/11/2022 

I returned to my beautiful island four days ago and I can proudly say I've been to the beach everyday since. It was great to go home and visit my family and friends, but WOW does it feel good to be back in St. Thomas. My classes started yesterday and I lthink I'm going to really enjoy the school aspect of this semester. I got a new roommate who is pretty cool so far. It's weird coming back when a lot of my NSE friends from last semester left, but I'm getting to know new people and I've been hanging with local students more which I love. My goal for this semester is that I want to go to bars less and spent more time at the beach and on hikes!!

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Entry #18 NSE Buck Island Boat Trip 2/15/2022

This past weekend, the NSE group took a boat trip to Buck Island to snorkel and relax! The trip was paid for by the program and NSE fees and everyone had a really lovely time. So far, I haven't had the chance to get to know the new group of students on exchange so it was a great opportunity to hang out with every body. The new girls and guys are cool and we all got along very well. When we were first on the boat it started to rain, but the sun eventually came out and we had a great Saturday. The snorkeling was good - we saw some turtles, colorful coral, fish, and sea urchins. I also went out with some of the girls later that night <3

Entry #21 03/12/2022 Spring Break !!!

Where do I even begin. To start off Spring Break, my friend Marissa and I spontaneously got our septums pierced and we're obsessed! A lot of people had left during the week to either go home or go on a trip so all the people who stayed back really clicked together to make the best of it - and we did! We went to a couple different beaches; my favorite was Sapphire Bay because the water is so beautiful, good for snorkeling and there's a nice beach bar. I also went kayaking in Brewer's Bay, went hiking to a bat cave, and then lots of shopping, eating and tanning throughout. One of my favorite nights was having a bonfire on the beach and dancing to soca music all night. I sent some of my family and friends a post card and I'm excited for them to get it! Overall I had a relaxing and fun break and I didn't think about school once!!

Entry #15 New Classes and Roommates 1/20/2022

Finishing up my second week of class and heading into the weekend is a good feeling. So far, I like my classes this semester - I'm most excited for oral traditional literature of Africa and I am least excited from financial accounting. All of my roommates last semester were on exchange for the semester so I have 5 new roomies and I really like them. They are all from St. Thomas or St. Croix so it's fun getting to know them and hearing about their experiences living on island. It still feels so good to be back and I haven't missed a day going to the beach yet!

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Entry #16 Garden Club VP 1/28/2022

Last semester I was a member in the school's garden living & learning community aka garden club. We would meet once a week and talk about any activities we had coming up, when we would work in the campus gardens, and create a watering schedule for the week. This semester I was nominated to be the Vice President of the club because I was so active last semester and I got the role! This was the only club I've joined and I love the students involved and the work we do to keep the campus clean and blooming. I'm excited to be involved again this semester and grow more plants.

Entry #17 New fav study spot 2/6/2022

A new tradition of mine is going to this cute lil cafe/coffee shop once a week with my friends to study. It's called Barefoot Buddha, and it's about a 15 minute drive to get there. My friends and I will grab breakfast on campus around 9 and then get ready and leave at 10. We walk down to the safari stop and normally wait 5-20 minutes for a safari to come by. Safaris are the $1 taxis that constantly drive around the island. My go to order at Barefoot Buddha is a caramel hazelnut latte with oat milk and the veggie wrap - so good!!

Entry #20 Last pic in my camera roll 03/04/2022

The last picture in my camera role is pictured to the right of this text! Those lil plants are baby mangroves that our marine biology students are experimenting with to help save ecosystems in the Virgin Islands. The garden and conservation clubs here got to take a tour of the Grimes Lab Center where the nursing these young mangrove plants. During the presentation we learned about the 4 different types of mangroves and how to differentiate them. This was such an interesting and fun experience that I will always remember!   

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Entry #22 03/20/2022 Some things I'm thankful for right now <3

My experiences here have been so fun and memorable, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I miss home too. Normally when I start to miss my family and friends, I go to the beach with my roommates to get my mind off it. Other times, I think of all the things I'm grateful for, not only here in St. thomas but back home too. Back home I'm thankful for tailgates at usc, UBERS, literally just going to Walmart, long drives at night, chick fil a, and most importantly just having so many people in my life that I love to the point that I miss them so dearly. Here on island I'm grateful for the salmon they serve in caf like 3x a week, for my roommates who are loud but funny as hell, for the sunsets I see over the Caribbean ocean every night, all the turtles in Brewer's Bay, and everyone I've had the pleasure of knowing this year.

Entry #19 2/24/2022 The Beautiful St. Croix

I got SO lucky this semester by having the coolest suite mate ever who is like my best friend. She is from St. Croix and invited my friend Marissa and I to come stay at her house in St. Croix for the weekend. We caught the ferry Friday morning and it was a rough trip!! The water was so rough I thought the boat was going to tip over - definitely feared for my life a little, but it in a thrilling way:) We went on a 3 mile hike to the famous tide pools over there and it was magical. We also went beach hopping and I wasn't expecting the beaches to be as nice over there as they are on St. Thomas, but they were so beautiful and we had the best time. We also went to a jam over there and saw PUMPA, a Jamaican artist perform live. It was a great trip with great friends and I'm very thankful.

Entry #23 04/01/2022 
Turning 21, 21, 21 !!

This past weekend, I spent celebrating my 21st birthday. It was weird not being around my close friends from home and my family, but my friends here made it so fun and special. Friday night we went out and got dinner and went bar hopping. It was great because there was a lot of people out and everyone was dancing and having a good time. Saturday night some of my close friends got dinner and then went to the beach and popped champagne at midnight. Sunday, which was my birthday, I went to a farmer's market with the garden club and it was so wholesome. I got local foods and hand made earrings. Sunday night I watched the sunset on the beach and my friends surprised me with one last lil celebration <3

Entry #24 04/10/2022
Camping on Neltjeberg

This weekend I went camping on the cutest most magical beach on St. Thomas called Neltjeberg. We got out there around noon on Saturday and left around 4 pm the next day. We swam and explored the beach during the day and lit a fire at night. The beach had SO many palm trees and the water was the prettiest shade of turquoise. I went with my friend from school and some of her friends from the marine biology program who were all super nice and easy to talk to. We saw shooting stars at night and made smores and tacos. Camping on the beach is something I've wanted to do since I came here and I'm so happy that I finally got to go.

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