Paris, France | 2023

Our entrance into Paris was somewhat less triumphant than we would have liked as one of our students was left behind in Germany—unfortunate moment as a group leader involving an unexpected change in train platforms, some AirPods and an incorrect assumption that everyone made the mad dash across the station. Fortunately, everything worked out as…

Heidelberg, Germany | 2023

After what felt like the longest stop in Prague, we finally moved on to Heidelberg, Germany. Unlike Innsbruck and Prague, which I had apparently barely experienced on my first IBI experience, I had many great memories from my time in Heidelberg, and I was excited to return. Overall, my experience there this time felt more…

Prague, Czech Republic | 2023

From Innsbruck, Austria, we traveled by coach bus on to Prague, Czech Republic, with a few stops on the way. That travel day involved breakfast in Austria, lunch in Germany and dinner in the Czech Republic. Talk about an international adventure! Prague is a very beautiful city. The city boasts medieval architecture (Prague Castle), many…

Innsbruck, Austria | 2023

We arrived to the Vienna Airport shortly before midnight feeling very hungry, uncomfortable and disoriented from our 6-hour flight on W!ZZ Air (an airline not worth mentioning except to encourage you NOT to book one of its flights if at all possible). From the airport, we drove through the night on a much-smaller-than-anticipated coach bus…

India | 2023

Unlike many people I know, I really enjoyed my travel experiences in India on my first trip. Granted, I was traveling in a large group and food, lodging, transportation and excursions were all pre-arranged for us. I also happened to LOVE the food (the spicier the better!). So, as I told my Indian-American doctor when…

London, England | 2023

For eight weeks during the summer of 2023, I worked as the program assistant on the International Business Institute, a study abroad program for undergraduates studying international business. After two [unnecessary] legs of flying, I met the group of 15 students and the director of the trip in Newark for my final flight to cross…

Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 2024

Once upon a time, some friends and I tried to go to Canada for New Year’s Eve. The concept was magical, if a little bit of a logistical nightmare for the dead of winter in the North. Ultimately, due to sickness and a winter storm, the plans were cancelled at the last moment and we…

Book Review: The Paris Novel

Once upon a time, my best friend and I owned a business. Of the many lovely experiences we offered, Book & Dinner Club was my favorite. Over the course of six weeks, we would host a group of women to discuss a book with a strong focus on food and/or travel and feed them home-cooked…

Lofty Mid-year Bonus-goals

Have you revisited your New Year’s Resolutions lately (or ever)?? In case you somehow missed it, we have arrived in the second trimester of 2024. Mid-May is running our schedules into manic chaos, and the weather (at least in the Midwest) is propelling us outside every moment of the day, tempting us to shirk responsibilities….

Book Review: Seven Days in the Art World

One must not be an art aficionado to know that making art is only one stroke of the intricately complicated masterpiece of the modern art world. Art has inherent value from the moment a piece is started; even if that work is never shown to the public. However, when the oeuvre of an artist does…