The Sky.

I've made some pretty broad, sweeping generalizations about my life as a result of my study abroad. One of them is that I will never, ever live in Beijing if I don't have to.

The reason? You'll never see a sunset like this:

I have always thought the DC night sky was a pale imitation of the sky in Missouri, but coming back from living in a place where there is no sky has put my views into perspective. When my brother came to Korea to visit me after having lived for about a month in China, he marveled at how blue the sky was.

It didn't seem especially blue to me that day, but I sure appreciate it now.

It's the little things.

About me.

Hello.

My name is Jennifer. I'm an undergrad business student in my junior year at American University in Washington, D.C. I'm from St. Louis, Missouri. I have no idea what I want to do with my life, so I'm studying to take the LSAT.

I spent February 2011 in Seoul, South Korea at Ewha Womans University.
I spent Spring 2011 in Seoul, South Korea at Sogang University.
I spent Summer 2011 in Seoul, South Korea as an intern at Kolon, FnC.
I spent Fall 2011 in Beijing, China at the China Studies Institute at Peking University.

The places I traveled in that 10 month time period (February-December 2011) were numerous and include the following:

Korea:
Seoul, Daegu, Pusan, Seoraksan, Jeju Island, Gyeongju, Sokcho, Asan, Cheorwon

Taiwan:
Taipei

China:
Beijing, Yangshuo, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Yangshuo, Datong, Hohhot, Jining, Nanjing, Longsheng

Tibet:
Lhasa, Shigatse, Tingri, Mt. Everest Base Camp, Gyantse, Lake Manasovar

If you have any questions about any places I've been or schools I've attended, please ask!

About this blog.

It's that time of the year again, and because I'm a junior it's more prevalent now than ever: the onslaught of "study abroad blogs" with cute names like "Jen Eats China" or "Jen's Going to Canada, eh?"

I've tried the "study abroad blog" thing too, but despite the best of intentions (and we all know what they say about those), I have always ultimately failed.

So, I thought to myself, as a recent study abroad returnee I should do something a bit different.

You see, everyone goes on these "life changing" study abroad tours during college (or maybe that's an AU anomaly). This semester, I have friends in London, Rome, Seoul and Beijing that all say the same thing: "Keep in touch!" But how many do? I know I didn't. I didn't have time to waste or want to spend time doing more than the bare minimum contact of keeping in touch beyond what was keeping me sane (ie, family & close friends).

After being back home for over a month, it hit me. What happens in the semester after? After the late nights partying, the alcohol you shouldn't have drank, the food you were dared to eat, the crazy trips you went on with friends that were too expensive, the guy you hooked up with but don't remember his name because you can't speak the language - what's next?

Am I living in a post-study abroad hangover of a semester? How am I different than before? What can I say I've learned?

This is my place to reflect on my personal "Semester After."