Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

Hi, my name is Juan Diego Proaño, and I am from Ecuador. Currently, I am a sophomore at Lake Forest College, and I am spending my sixth semester abroad in Tartu, Estonia. I have always been intrigued by and wanted to visit a Baltic country. One of my dreams since applying for the exchange program was to travel to Lapland to see the Aurora Borealis, which is why I applied to countries like Finland and Estonia.

Traveling to Lapland has been the highlight of the exchange. My friends and I undertook a road trip, covering more than 2,500 km by car. I believe the friendships you make during such a journey are truly unique. Although I did not have the chance to see the Aurora, I visited Santa Claus Village, saw amazing landscapes, and tried reindeer meat.

On the other hand, Tartu is an incredible city, teeming with museums. It has the highest number of museums in Estonia, including the national museum. Tartu is known for being a student city, with around 18,000 students in a population of 100,000. The location of the hostel provided by the university is excellent, as it is just a 10-minute walk to the city center and the university buildings, where there are restaurants, bars, and clubs. Additionally, the capital, Tallinn, is only a two-hour bus ride away. I had the opportunity to visit the Old Town in Tallinn, which is renowned for its medieval architecture and historic churches.

Main Square at Tartu: