Inside Student Blogs

Laurel Ohm Quito, Spring 2011

Laurel Ohm is a junior at St. Olaf College and is studying in Quito, Ecuador this spring. She is majoring in mathematics, Spanish, and environmental studies, and is looking forward to improving her Spanish skills this spring. She loves the outdoors, traveling, and running, and is very excited about exploring Quito and experiencing Ecuadorian culture. Originally from the great city of Madison, Wisconsin, she is on her way to seeing the whole world, and can’t wait to meet cool people and try new things along the way.

Laurel's Posts

• How did this semester go so fast?

  5/24/11 • (0)

  Wow, what an incredibly busy past two weeks! I don´t think I´ve ever had quite this big of a workload in such a short period of time ever in my college career.

  Ecuador, essays, Finals, friends, Host Family, leaving, Quito, Spring 2011

• Home…all too soon

  5/24/11 • (0)

  After a day of tearful 4am goodbyes, 3 flights and 12 hours of traveling, I am finally back home in Madison, Wisconsin.

  Blogs, Culture Shock, Ecuador, Goodbyes, Post-departure, Quito, Spring 2011

• The Final Weekend Trips

  5/24/11 • (0)

  So after returning from Galápagos, it seems like time has suddenly been put on fast forward. Everything has been so rushed and busy with finals upon us!

  Amazon, Beach, biking, Buses, cotopaxi, Ecuador, Quito, Spring 2011, waterfalls, weekend trips

• ¡A Galápagos!

  4/26/11 • (1)

  Not to sound cliché or anything, but I have to say that hands down our IES trip to the Galápagos has been the best experience of my study abroad in Ecuador.

  animals, boat trip, dolphins, Ecuador, excursions, fun, Galapagos, IES trips, islands, lava, ocean, plants, Quito, Sea lions, Spring 2011, tortoises

• Visitors

  4/21/11 • (0)

  The best part about getting to know a new city (or country, for that matter) is showing it off to friends and family when they come to visit.

  city, Ecuador, history, Host Family, music, Quito, tourism, Travel

• Cuenca

  4/13/11 • (0)

  Cuenca: The guidebooks say it´s Ecuador´s most charming city, and I definitely have to agree with their word choice.

  Cuenca, Ecuador, Holidays, Inca, national parks, Quito, ruins, weekend trips

• Differences

  4/07/11 • (0)

  So I´ve been here almost 3 months now, and I realized I have yet to comment on some of the differences between Ecuadorian and US culture.

  Culture, customs, differences, Ecuador, Host Family, Quito

• Andinismo

  3/16/11 • (0)

  An outing with the university´s awesome mountain climbing club.

  Clubs, Ecuador, extracurriculars, mountain climbing, Quito, weekend trips

• To the Amazon!!!

  3/10/11 • (0)

  Highlights from a long weekend in the Amazon rainforest

  Amazon, Ecuador, Field Trip, food, indigenous communities, Quito, Spring 2011, travel blog

• So this weekend I jumped off a bridge and ate a guinea pig…

  3/03/11 • (0)

  All the wonderful happenings from an excellent weekend trip to Baños, Ecuador.

  Ecuador, Quito, weekend travels

• Food, Food, Food!

  2/23/11 • (0)

  The top 10 foods of Ecuador. All digesting in my belly now.

  Ecuador, Field Trips, food, homework, Host Family, Quito

• Un montón

  2/10/11 • (0)

  This week in Ecuador, as described by one of my favorite Spanish phrases/adjectives: un montón (which, as you can probably tell, means “a LOT´´).

  Ecuador, food, homework, Host Family, Quito, Weather, weekend trips

• Just a usual week in Ecuador…

  2/04/11 • (0)

  A peek into my typical schedule here in (and around) Quito.

  classes, Ecuador, Quito, Typical day, weekend trips

• A week already?

  1/18/11 • (0)

  All the excitement of a first week abroad: meeting the family, registering for classes, and a little bit of traveling!

  classes, Ecuador, Host Family, Quito, registration, weekend trips

• Tomorrow is the big day!!!!!

  1/05/11 • (0)

  Sharing some excitement (and goals) the night before departure. Let the adventures begin…

  Ecuador, Pre-Departure, Quito