Studying abroad can be the best time of your life, and until you find an excuse to move abroad, there will come a time when you will have to go home. After your time abroad, you would be pretty used to living out of your comfort zone, getting used to different languages, customs, and doing everything possible given the fact that you were abroad for a limited amount of time. But what happens after you [...]

There is a lot of speculation about the merits and benefits of international volunteering, and rightly so. This process of going abroad to help the less fortunate earns the volunteers no end of praise, well wishes and financial support from onlookers at home. However, an increasing amount of literature is arising that questions the inherent goodness of these experiences. Questions surface like, “What do you accomplish?”, “Who really benefits?”, and “What message is sent to [...]

With a long break, and the shadow of exams still looming over your shoulders, the winter term seems unbearable.  At this moment, you have probably realized you will need to get your ass in gear for the upcoming term – and that sounds miserable right? Right. I’ve gotta tell you though – after having seen so many students have a great fall term to then waste away their winter term, I know that you need [...]

Surprisingly unspoilt, Torres del Paine is Chilean Patagonia  - and you can either get a bus there from Santiago (Chile), or from Argentina.  The regular buses from Calafate to the national park are super-busy in peak season – December to March – so book ahead.  We turned up at the bus station the night before to book tickets and both companies were full – both leave at 8am for Puerto Natales (just over the border [...]