The landscape of the United States is as varied as a patchwork quilt. Just like that patch work there are common connections, threads and lines and colors that pull through. The same is true of the work of musicians inspired by living and working in these varied American landscapes, too.

Pure Michigan ads, campaigned by fellow Michigander and actor Tim Allen, don't cover all the greatness that Michigan has to offer.

There are many different types of living situations in London for study abroad students. I studied abroad with a program provider called Academic Programs International (API), and they made our room arrangements for us. University-run programs also arrange the housing for their students. If you decide to study abroad on your own, you’ll need to make sure you are on top of applying for housing.

Cruises are a great deal – you’ve got all your transportation, lodging, meals, and activities rolled into one price. You can travel the world, see new sights every day, and not have to unpack more than once. There are incredible sunrises and sunsets (my favorite part). You can find time for romance or kids clubs, swim, take excursions, learn new things, and eat well.

You’re excited to finally be heading off to university! But first, you’ve got to narrow down your roomful of belongings into a much smaller space that you’ll probably be sharing with someone. How do you decide what to take? What will you need? What can you buy while you’re there? Here is a packing list for heading off to university. I recommend that you customize it according to your interests (sports, music, etc.), and always remember – less is more. It's all got to fit in the car (or airplane) to get there!

We've all been there - packing and looking at the huge pile of STUFF on the bed, and looking at the very small suitcase. How to reconcile the two? It's stressful!

Road trips, adventure, travel, and education – these are some of the best bits of life all rolled into one! When you get the opportunity to experience them, take it! It’s been a few years now since I’ve been in the traditional classroom, but each day I find I do my best to take part in a global one. So much of culture and geography is left out of traditional education, as teachers don’t have all the time in the world to fuse it all into one hundred and eighty two days of forty-minute lessons.

Last summer I had the opportunity to work in Barcelona at BarcelonaSAE (Study Abroad Experience), a study abroad company located in the heart of the city. I came on board to assist during the very busy and hectic summer season that saw more than 200 students come through in just three months!

During the three years I lived in Montenegro, I saw lots of unusual English translations.  The combination of a country where English is not a common language, and it being off the main tourist path, is a recipe for amusing translations.  At many restaurants we would laugh at the menu while trying to figure out what it meant.  Often I wonder where all these translations come from.  Even on city tourist boards, sentences can sometimes be impossible to understand. 

You may have seen our Artist of the Month, Mark Hicks, before on snsvs - we love his work, and have shared much of his art.