Introducing Zach Hughes

What is/are your major(s)?

Marketing, Finance

What is/are your minor(s)?

N/A

What is the name of your study abroad program?

Maastricht University: Center for European Studies

In what city & country is your study abroad program located?

Maastricht, Netherlands

What is something you would like the blog readers to know about you that they wouldn’t know by just looking at you?

I think that my natural curiosity for history will come across in my photos. The history of the European continent is unlike that which is found in America, in that it exists in a very physical sense. Towering castles, lavish palaces, and grown-over battlegrounds litter the landscape, all with their own stories to tell and lessons to learn.

What is one thing that you are most anticipating about your study abroad experience?

I’m anticipating traveling the European countryside on my free days and weekends. I partially selected Maastricht due to its positioning in the middle of Europe, and the prospect of utilizing the train network to visit Europe’s major cultural hubs. I plan on hitting most of the major cities on the northern side of the continent, and taking tours and self-lead explorations on each one.

Why did you decide to study abroad? or What inspired you to study abroad?

I decided to study abroad to gain a more holistic experience during my college education, and pursue an opportunity designed to challenge me and make me think on the fly. Part of traveling is challenge, and by acknowledging and embracing that, you open yourself up to truly valuable opportunities.

Glacier lagoon, Iceland.

Introducing Vanessa Cepeda

What is/are your major(s)?

International business

What is/are your minor(s)?

Psychology

What is the name of your study abroad program?

ISA: Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore: Business, Communications & Italian Culture

In what city & country is your study abroad program located?

Milan, Italy

What is something you would like the blog readers to know about you that they wouldn’t know by just looking at you?

I am a music enthusiast; I’m constantly wearing headphones and have a podcast or tune playing and sometimes I get inspiration from tunes to create collages, ither on paper or digitally.

What is one thing that you are most anticipating about your study abroad experience?

I want to be immersed in a community and live life through a new cultural lens. I want to learn, sit and listen, be a part of new lifelong friendships and enjoy this great opportunity.

Why did you decide to study abroad? or What inspired you to study abroad?

Not only is it a degree requirement but immersing myself in a new continent was just something I could not pass by for the possibilities seem endless.

Window view, every day is a new canvas and this particular day was one of my favorites.