My semester abroad with HISA was everything I had hoped for and more. I was looking for a semester to unwind, take a breath, and regroup with myself. The island of Paros was the perfect place for just that! Paros became a real home to my peers and I as we hiked, swam, and painted our way through the island. The teachers were all extremely supportive in each of our creative aspirations and provided us with the tools and resources needed to make our ideas come to fruition. Furthermore, all of the teachers were so passionate about their lessons that they made each of us excited to learn and work on our projects. I am so grateful to HISA for everything from seamlessly coordinating with my school’s abroad office to planning weekend trips to the nearby Cyclades islands. This has been such an incredible semester and time to explore my creativity, passions, and self. Thank you Barry and Yuko for orchestrating this special program, I hope to come back soon to visit!