Monthly Reports
George Knowles: January 2026 in Paris!
De la mi-décembre à la mi-janvier, mon expérience à Paris est entrée dans une nouvelle phase après la fin de la période d’examens à Sciences Po. Après plusieurs semaines de travail académique intense, ce mois m’a permis de prendre du recul, de réfléchir au semestre écoulé et de consacrer davantage de temps à la découverte…
Read MoreEva Wigham: January in The Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, 2026
Costa Rica, literalmente la “costa rica”, vive hasta y más allá de los límites de su nombre, si está dispuesto a intercambiar riqueza material por una vida más sencilla. Tenía una vaga comprensión de este arreglo antes de llegar a la Península de Osa. Despojar mi vida diaria a mi entorno inmediato – especialmente mi…
Read MoreAlexandra Spencer: Cuesta de enero – Jan 2026
January in Madrid arrived with a sharp, crystalline clarity that felt entirely different from the golden hues of autumn. The festive sparkle of the holiday season and the Three Kings parades quickly faded, leaving the city in a state of quiet, focused winter. The temperature dropped significantly, bringing a dry, piercing cold that the locals…
Read MoreNatalie Smith: January 2026 in Salamanca, Spain
To celebrate the end of the first semester, there was a large celebration in the Plaza Mayor, which takes place every year on the last Thursday of the semester, as there are no classes the next Friday. The celebration involved a concert with local bands, and thousands of students gathered to celebrate the end of…
Read MoreBen Kittoe: My First Two Weeks in Rio! (January 2026)
Olá! Eu sou o Ben, e estou muito ansioso por estar escrevendo meu primeiro relatório mensal sobre minha aventura, onde eu vou trabalhar como estagiário na indústria musical brasileiro no Rio de Janeiro pelas próximas seis meses! Cheguei aqui no Rio de Janeiro no dia 30 de dezembro – não acredito que já passaram só…
Read MoreHenrietta Jinivizian: Janvier en Alsace: réflexion sur Noël, nouvelles opportunités et politique mondiale
Un nouvel an commence encore, après un autre Noël très chargé en réunions entre amis, du temps avec la famille, et cadeaux indésirables – comme chaque année. Je réfléchis toujours pendant la période de Noël. Comme ces trois dernières années, je ne pouvais pas m’empêcher de penser que la ville de Jésus est encore en…
Read MoreCaitlin Manchester: 새해 복 많이 받으세요! Happy New Year! – Jan 2026
메리 크리스마스, 그리고 새해 복 많이 받으세요! 크리스마스는 남녀노소를 막론하고 누구나 즐기는 세계적인 축제로 자리를 잡게 되었습니다. 최근 서울에는 크리스마스 마켓이 많이 생겨났고 수많은 사람들이 분위기 좋은 공간에 모여 연말의 정취를 즐기고 있습니다. 영국과 달리, 한국에서 크리스마스는 아주 중요한 명절이라기보다는 가족이나 친구들과 함께 즐거운 시간을 보내는 기회로 인식되는 것 같습니다. 그래서 우리 고양과 비교할 때, 한국의…
Read MoreHolly Murray: December in Valencia, Spain (Jan 2026)
Después de otro mes fabuloso en Valencia, comienzo a entender porque esta ciudad se reconoce como la mejor ciudad del mundo para vivir. Una cosa que me encanta ver es que, a pesar del clima frio del invierno, la gente local sigue sentarse afuera con su café por las mañanas y su cerveza por las…
Read MoreChloe Salmon – December in Sevilla, Spain
Cada mes en Sevilla es muy ocupada, y este mes ha sido una locura. Tengo mucho trabajo universitario que hacer, y hacer exámenes en España es mucho más difícil que en Inglaterra. Diría que en España los exámenes destacan la memorización, mientras que en Inglaterra se centran más en la reflexión y la aplicación. A…
Read MoreNatalie Smith – December in Spain
I have had the opportunity to experience more Spanish culture this month through Salamanca’s festivities and a trip to Madrid. The streets of Salamanca are filled with Christmas lights and decorations which add to the city’s beauty. One of the most memorable Christmas events was attending the switching on of the Christmas lights in the…
Read MorePhoebe Coleman: Bogotá, Colombia, December 2025
December in Bogotá was just as busy as I knew it was going to be, but delightful nonetheless! I started the month by jumping into Latin dance classes, mainly salsa, which has quickly become the highlight of my routine. Getting to watch a national Cuban salsa competition in a Bogotano theatre was an immense privilege.…
Read MoreGeorge Knowles: December in Paris!
Ceci est mon premier rapport mensuel avec la John Speak Foundation, et je suis très reconnaissante de pouvoir documenter mon parcours en commençant une année à l’étranger à Paris. Tout au long des mois de novembre et décembre, je me suis installée dans ce qui ressemble aujourd’hui à une véritable routine parisienne. Une routine qui…
Read MoreHannah Smith – Rapport mensuel de décembre
Au cours des dernières semaines – de la fin novembre jusqu’au mois de décembre – j’ai vécu période exceptionnellement chargé mais très productive. Au début du mois de décembre, une proche amie d’université, qui passe aussi une partie de son année à l’étrangère en France, est venue me rendre visite pour le week-end. Nous avons…
Read MoreCaitlin Manchester: 남해와 영월: 한국의 지방 여행 기록 Namhae and Yeongwol: A Travelogue of Korea’s Provincial Regions
시간이 쏜살같다더니, 벌써 2학기가 되었습니다. 세 주 동안의 방학을 이미 마무리되었고 이제 한국어 수업을 다시 시작했습니다. 즐거움으로 가득한 한 달 동안 다양한 활동과 여행을 통해 제 삶의 시야가 넓혀진 것을 느꼈습니다. 영월과 남해로 여행을 갈 수 있는 기회를 얻게 되어 지금도 감사한 마음을 가지고 있습니다. 한국의 지역 관광지를 알리기 위한 정부 계획을 덕분에 다른 외국인들과…
Read MoreNovember in Valencia, Spain by Holly Murray
Noviembre en Valencia Este mes ha pasado más rápido que jamás habría podido imaginar, no obstante, ha sido lleno de experiencias inolvidables. Me alegra decir que estoy sintiéndome cada vez más integrada y adaptada a la cultura española maravillosa, ¡y a hablando castellano con menos dolores de cabeza! En la vida académica, estoy acostumbrándome a…
Read MoreHenrietta Jinivizian : Rapport mensuel de décembre
Au moment d’écrire, j’ai presque fini mes examens universitaires du premier semestre à Sciences Po Strasbourg – même plus important, mon troisième mois à l’étranger. Je ne veux pas mentir – cette saison d’évaluations m’a poussé aux limites inattendues. Néanmoins, j’ai eu l’opportunité de réfléchir à mes propres capacités à travailler. Ce que j’ai constaté…
Read MoreAlexandra Spencer: December in Spain
Madrid Monthly Account: December The start of December sees Madrid shift into its primary festive state, with the city centre becoming the focus of extensive holiday preparations. The atmosphere is notably vibrant, driven by the immediate presence of the spectacular Christmas Lights (Luces de Navidad), which illuminate major arteries such as Gran Vía, Alcalá, and…
Read MoreChloe Salmon: Seville, Spain – November 2025
¡Este mes ha sido una locura y muy ocupado! Mi trabajo de la universidad ha aumentado muchísimo, y he tenido que entregar muchos portafolios y presentaciones. Esta semana tuve una presentación oral que era el 40% de mi nota sobre el género y la sexualidad en el imperio hispánico durante los siglos XVI y XVII.…
Read MoreRapport mensuel de novembre
The past month has been filled with amazing opportunities, both in and outside of work. My time in France is going by so quickly, but I’m settling in more and more into life in Haute-Savoie and feeling increasingly confident with my French. One of the main highlights of the month was our team day. It…
Read MoreNatalie Smith: November in Spain
A highlight of my month was celebrating Halloween with some friends. To celebrate, we dressed up, prepared Halloween-themed food, and watched a movie together. Halloween is not traditionally as big in Spain as it is in the UK, and I noticed that the city had few decorations and the shops sold very few Halloween items…
Read MoreAlexandra Spencer – Spain:November time!
November truly solidified the seasonal transition in Madrid. The beautiful, intense sunshine of early autumn disappeared, replaced by shorter days and a chilling air that demanded the use of heavy coats and scarves, bringing that beautiful, crisp European winter feeling. This shift naturally pushed my activities indoors, concentrating my social life around the warmth of…
Read MoreAlexandra Spencer: October reflections, Spain – October 2025
October brought a definitive, welcome shift in Madrid’s climate. The brutal, unforgiving heat of September finally gave way to a crisp, cool autumn air, the kind that calls for a light jacket and makes the granite buildings feel cozy and contemplative. This sudden change in atmosphere perfectly mirrored my necessary shift in focus: away from…
Read MoreAlexandra Spencer: A September to remember – Spain, September 2025
September was a whirlwind of intense firsts, a blur of new sounds, logistics, and continuous motion. The initial part of the month felt like a solo mission to achieve basic operational status: I secured my Abono Transporte, the key to unlocking the city, and spent days mastering the intricate web of the Metro and Cercanías…
Read More가을 주말: 산에서 찾은 여유 Caitlin Manchester, Korea – November 2025
가을의 상쾌한 공기와 산길은 주말을 특별하게 만들어 줍니다. 주말에는 저는 보통 언어 교환을 하고 등산도 하곤 합니다. 이번 달은 제가 남한산, 관악산, 그리고 북악산에 등산했습니다. 이 세 산 중에서 제가 제일 좋아하는 산은 남한산이었습니다. 왜냐하면 단풍잎이며 산성이며 경치를 다 매우 아름다우므로 마음이 치유되는 것 같았습니다. 남한산은 경기도에 있는 산으로 산꼭대기에 독특한 성이 있는데 유네스코 세계유산으로…
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