Tag: News

• Jason Kelce says he wants to lose weight in order to play with his kids and be a better dad.
• The former Philadelphia Eagles center told GQ he lost "almost 20 pounds" since retiring from the NFL in March.
• Kelce said his back and knees "feel better" since he shed the weight and he has plans to lose another 20 pounds.

Jason Kelce says he's focusing on losing weight for the sake of his children.

In an interview with GQ published last Wednesday, the former Philadelphia Eagles center spoke about how he's staying healthy in retirement.

Kelce said he's "almost 20 pounds down right now" since retiring from the NFL in March and aims to lose another 20.

"It's hard to imagine another nearly 20 pounds coming off, being honest with you. But my back already feels better. My knees already feel better," Kelce told GQ. "So another 20 pounds hopefully will make that much more adept at playing with my children."

Kelce has three daughters with his wife, Kylie Kelce.

He shared that he weighed 295 pounds for most of his NFL career, and now weighs 277 pounds.

"I don't want to get too small. I think a lot of guys, especially offensive linemen, they lose too much weight, and then they look like bobbleheads because their neck gets so small, but their head stays the same size," Kelce said.

He added that a weight range between 250 and 260 pounds felt the most suitable for him because it would help him retain his stature.

"So for me, I feel like for some reason, 250 to 260 feels like I'll be still big and be happy with the way I look without having a six-pack," he said.

Even though he's sustained numerous injuries throughout his 13-year football career, Kelce said he won't let them stop him from enjoying life.

"I've had a twice-reconstructed right knee, a surgery on my hand, my groin. I've broken toes. I've had my share of things that have gone wrong, not to mention just the wear and tear of playing 13 years in the NFL," Kelce said. "So I'm leaving the game with those scars, but for all intents and purposes, I can play with my kids. I am still able to fully enjoy life, which I consider a blessing whether you played in the NFL or not."

This isn't the first time that he's spoken about his desire to shed some pounds during retirement.

During an April episode of his "New Heights" podcast featuring guest Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kelce shared some details about his fitness goals.

"My goal is two pounds every week, lose it. I want to lose it, but maintain my muscle mass," Kelce said. "I'm trying to monitor my protein, my carbs, my fats and make sure that I'm hitting at least one pound per body weight."

Schwarzenegger then gave Kelce a tip: "The most important thing is that you slowly decrease the body fat and increase the body muscles. You just switch. It doesn't just have to do with the weight," he said.

In a June 2023 interview with Sports Illustrated's Eagles Today, Kelce shared that his NFL diet wasn't as strict as one might expect.

"I think that you just gotta be smart and do it in a way you're getting the right amount of protein," Kelce said. "Once you kind of figure that out, you don't really have to stay on top of it much."

He added that he eats whatever he wants to.

"I can go to McDonald's and eat food that I can figure out. I can go to Wawa, look at the menu, and figure out what to have. I don't need to have brown rice with chicken breast with no flavor. If that's what's required of me to play in the NFL, I probably wouldn't do it," he said.

• Chinese space firm Tianbing Aerospace Technology said it accidentally launched a rocket it was testing.
• The Tianlong-3 is designed as a rival to SpaceX's Falcon 9, with a similar takeoff mass and reflight.
• But a stationary engine test on Sunday saw the rocket lift off and crash into a mountain.

A Chinese space firm said on Sunday that it accidentally launched its Tianlong-3 rocket during a test, causing the vehicle to lift off and crash into a nearby mountainside.

In a statement, Beijing-based Tianbing Aerospace Technology said it was conducting a first-stage test of the rocket's power system, and that a "structural failure" caused the Tianlong-3 to separate from its launchpad.

Had the test been successful, the Tianlong-3 would have remained stationary on the launchpad as its engines fired.

Multiple people in the nearby city of Gongyi in Henan province captured videos of the accidental launch.

Footage shows the rocket roaring into the sky and leaving a trail of black smoke before falling and striking the ground in a dramatic fireball explosion.

"The rocket body disintegrated after falling into the mountain," Tianbing's statement said.

Local authorities wrote that the explosion caused a local fire away from residential areas and that no one was injured.

Designed to deliver satellites to orbit, it's a liquid-propellant rocket described by Tianbing as "comparable to Space X's Falcon 9."

The aerospace firm said the Tianlong-3 can take off with a mass of 590 tons, similar to the Falcon 9's 605 tons. Like the Falcon 9, it's also designed for reflight, and is estimated to be partially reusable for up to 10 trips.

Tianbing, one of several Chinese private space rocket companies to gain prominence in recent years, in April 2023 launched another reusable rocket — the Tianlong-2 — fueled by coal-based kerosene.

With nine engines, the Tianlong-3 is now being touted by Tianbing as a revolutionary rocket for China's space industry.

"This is the most potent power system test of any carrier rocket currently under development in the country, and is three times more powerful than any previous test of the largest thrust in China's aerospace industry," Tianbing wrote.

China opened its space industry to private firms in 2014, sparking a wave of investment in aerospace technology, such as reusable rockets, which SpaceX champions as a key step to bolstering humanity's presence among the stars.

Chinese people reacting online to Sunday's accidental launch compared the failure to the initial problems SpaceX suffered when testing and launching its own Falcon rockets.

"Musk's Falcon 9 also had a lot of explosions at the beginning. If all nine units of Tianlong 3 are ignited in parallel this time, it can be considered a 70% success," one blogger wrote on Weibo, China's version of X.

The accident on Sunday came just days after Chinese leader Xi Jinping told his country's science sector to work closer with the state and escalate its race against the West's tech development scene.

"We must bolster our sense of urgency. We must go further with our efforts to innovate. To occupy the commanding heights of science and tech competition and future development," he said on Tuesday.

• President Joe Biden had a rough time at his first presidential debate of the year. 
• But billionaire Mark Cuban says he'd still hire Biden to run his businesses instead of Donald Trump.
• Cuban said he would have "no problem" hiring Trump as a sales representative, though.

President Joe Biden had a rough showing at the presidential debate on Thursday, but Mark Cuban says he'd still hire Biden to run his businesses instead of former President Donald Trump.

The businessman was responding to a question from British journalist Piers Morgan on Friday. Morgan asked Cuban if he would employ Biden to run any of his companies, after Cuban said he'd still vote for Biden in spite of that bad debate performance.

"Of our 2 candidates, one I would have no problem hiring as a sales representative. He is very good at making people feel comfortable and quickly conveying what he is trying to sell," Cuban said of Trump in an X post on Saturday.

But while Trump is "obviously a good salesperson," Cuban said that he didn't think he fared well on other fronts.

Cuban listed some attributes earlier in his X post, where he said that an ideal CEO should be someone who "creates a culture that respects employees" and is "always reading, consuming information and learning."

"The other isn't a very good salesperson, but has a recent 3 year history of having built a strong culture where people are very committed to him. They seem to love working with him," Cuban said of Biden's record as president.

"I don't know if he is a voracious reader and learner, but I have read about him discussing books he has read," Cuban added. "This is the person I would hire as a CEO."

Cuban declined to comment further when approached by BI on Sunday.

Biden's underwhelming performance on Thursday, which was riddled with gaffes and stumbles, fueled calls for him to be replaced as the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Cuban, who once said that he'd still vote for Biden even if the president "was being given last rites," revealed on Friday that he was open to swapping Biden out for another candidate.

"Trump is far better than Biden at soundbites and marketing. That's reality," Cuban said.

"For that reason, I'm also open to the discussion to replace Biden and/or Harris. It's not like Trump's approval ratings are high. They aren't. It could be an open door to find someone that immediately out performs Trump," he continued. "But if that doesn't happen, I'm still voting for Biden."

Representatives for Biden and Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI sent outside regular business hours.

• Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) has a brush with death in "House of the Dragon" season two.
• Baela Velaryon chases him while riding Moondancer in episode three.
• He survives the encounter, but here's how he dies in the book, "Fire and Blood."

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three.

The newly christened Hand of the King, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), has a near-miss with death when he gets chased by a dragon in "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three. Unfortunately for the many fans who absolutely hate this guy, he survives this time.

But like us all, the time will eventually come for the hot-headed knight. Here's how he might die in the show if it follows the source material provided by George R. R. Martin's book "Fire and Blood."

Criston is almost dragon chow in 'House of the Dragon' season 2, episode 3

In the latest episode of the season, which aired Sunday, Criston is sent to Harrenhal in an attempt to take the Riverlands for the greens, the group backing Aegon II Targaryen as king. But while journeying with Alicent's brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), the Hand of the King sees a dragon rider high up in the clouds.

Since he and the rest of the knights all wear shiny silver armor, Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia) and her dragon Moondancer, also spot them on the ground — leading to a pulse-pounding chase across the Westerosi countryside.

Fortunately for Cole, they all make it into the cover of the nearby woodland, and they're not turned into a dragon snack because Moondancer can't get in between the trees.

According to the book, Criston ultimately gets killed in a battle called the "Butcher's Ball"

In "Fire and Blood," Cole survives the Targaryen civil war until a battle known as the "Butcher's Ball." The green army gets ambushed south of the Gods Eye, the biggest lake in the seven kingdoms.

He tries to organize some sort of agreement with the blacks by offering his surrender to Ser Garibald Grey, Ser Pate of Longlead, and Lord Roderick Dustin, but they refuse. Cole is killed by nearby archers when he tries to fight all three of the knights at once.

He handled the conflict nearly as well as he handled his weird love triangle with Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). Which is to say, poorly.

To add insult to injury, Grey and Pate mount Criston's head on a spear and take it with them to another battle as a show of strength.

It's the type of brutal death that "Game of Thrones" became infamous for. Just recall the Red Wedding, the penultimate episode of season three, which saw House Tully butcher Robb Stark (Richard Madden), his mother Catelyn (Michelle Fairley), his new bride Talisa (Oona Chaplin), and his army.

But the Targaryen civil war, dubbed the "Dance of Dragons," is only just starting to escalate at the start of season two. It could be some time before audiences see Cole's death in live action.

"House of the Dragon" season two airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and is streaming on Max.

• Boeing is buying back Spirit Aero, a manufacturer of parts for its 737 and 787 planes, per Reuters.
• The $4.7 billion all-stock deal is set to be officially announced Monday, the outlet reported.
• The deal brings Spirit Aero back into Boeing's fold and should improve the production of its aircraft.

Boeing is set to buy back Spirit AeroSystems, a manufacturer of parts for its 737 and 787 planes, in a $4.7 all-stock deal, according to a Sunday report from Reuters.

The deal follows months of negotiations between the two aerospace companies and is intended to help address Boeing's ongoing safety crisis, the outlet reported.

Boeing's stock has tumbled more than 27% this year following a series of manufacturing issues that have rippled through the aviation industry. In January, a door plug on a new 737 MAX 9 jet blew out mid-flight, prompting intense scrutiny of Boeing's manufacturing process.

Subsequent safety reviews of United Airlines and Alaska Airline's fleets of Boeing 737 Max 9 planes found "many" loose bolts, Business Insider previously reported.

United, in a January statement to BI, said the loose bolts were related to the door plug — which was manufactured by Spirit Aero.

Spirit Aero was a Boeing subsidiary before it was spun off in 2005. The acquisition deal brings Spirit Aero back into Boeing's fold, and is meant to improve aircraft production, Reuters reported.

The deal, which is set to be officially announced on Monday, Reuters reported, will result in Spirit Aero's Europe-focused operations being sold to Airbus, a Boeing competitor. Boeing would take over the rest of the company, per Reuters.

Representatives for Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, and Airbus did not immediately respond to requests for comment from BI sent outside standard business hours.

Amid the negotiations with Spirit Aero, Boeing is also in talks with the Justice Department about a plea deal to resolve the DOJ's plans to charge Boeing with fraud. The looming charges come after officials found Boeing violated a deferred prosecution agreement related to two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.

• There's a surprising cameo in "House of the Dragon" episode three.
• The episode sees Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) take control of the huge castle, Harrenhal.
• While there, he has a vision that leads to an unexpected appearance from a season one star.

Warning, spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three.

An unexpected "House of the Dragon" star just popped up for a cameo in the third episode of season two after previously saying they wouldn't come back.

The episode sees Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) travel to Harrenhal, north of King's Landing in Westeros in an attempt to take it as a stronghold for the Blacks.

But once he arrives, and the members of House Strong freely give it over to him, his first night is plagued by two things: A leaky roof to his bed-chamber, and a spooky vision about his life.

In his dreamlike vision, Daemon believes that an unknown person tries to break into his room. After drawing his sword and trying to find the would-be intruder in the castle, he finds a woman sitting by a fireplace.

When she turns round, it's none other than the young version of Rhaenyra Targaryen, played by Milly Alcock.

"Always coming and going, aren't you? And I have to clean up afterwards," she says while sewing Jaehaerys' head back onto his dead body.

The vision is a nod to Rhaenyra feeling used by Daemon and how she has always tried to fix the mess and destruction he leaves behind.

The metaphor here is that she's dealing with the ramifications of the season two premiere when Blood (Sam C. Wilson) and Cheese (Mark Stobbart) killed the Targaryen toddler on Daemon's orders.

It is surprising to see Alcock in the role again after she played Rhaenyra in the first half of season one, before Emma D'Arcy took over following a 10-year time jump.

In March 2023, Alcock denied rumors that she would return to "House of the Dragon," telling Deadline, "No. It's done."

Granted, Alcock's season two cameo isn't a huge moment like a dramatic battle or a grisly death scene, so it wouldn't have taken long to film.

In 2022, showrunner Ryan Condal said he wasn't sure whether she would need to return as young Rhaenyra because the story moves forward in the timeline.

"I mean, look, I don't know. [They] are not a part of the story that we're telling yet. That's not a thing that we're doing right now," he said.

After passing the character to D'Arcy in 2022, Alcock commented on her exit and what she wanted to do next, saying: "I'm not doing any fantasy roles. I don't want to do anything like that. I have done it and I don't need to do it again. I am just kind of waiting for the right project. I am not in a rush to jump on something."

As for the future, it was announced in January 2024 that Alcock will play the titular DC superhero in "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow," in James Gunn's rebooted DC Universe.

Gunn said he was "blown away" by the actor during her audition after seeing her in "House of the Dragon."

• The latest episode of "House of the Dragon" introduces another key character for the upcoming civil war.
• The key character appears to be Alys Rivers, a witch who can see the future.
• Here's what to know about the character and her possible future in the series.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three, and for the book "Fire and Blood."

The latest "House of the Dragon" episode may have introduced another figure who will be key in the upcoming "Dance of the Dragons" civil war.

In episode three, fan-favorite Daemon Targaryen easily takes over Harrenhal and begins to prepare the derelict castle for war.

Before going to sleep, Daemon has a hallucination involving a younger version of his niece/wife Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock), and Jaehaerys Targaryen, a child who was murdered on Daemon's orders.

In the sequence, Rhaenyra stitches Jaehaery's head back onto his body and lectures Daemon about cleaning up her husband's mess.

Then Daemon awakes outside Harrenhal and meets a woman in black who tells him, "You will die in this place."

The woman appeared briefly earlier in the episode when Daemon first comes to Harrenhal, but she isn't formally introduced on either occasion. The actor looks like Gayle Rankin, who was cast in the series last year as Alys Rivers, a healer and resident of Harrenhal.

Alys also appeared in "Fire and Blood," George R. R. Martin's book that inspired "House of the Dragon."

The TV series, which is the prequel of the record-breaking "Game of Thrones," has built anticipation in season two by subtly introducing important book characters including Alys and bringing all the major players on board before the civil war kicks off.

Here's why Alys is an important character to watch in the upcoming episodes of House of the Dragon.

Alys becomes Aemond's lover and has his only child

In "Fire and Blood," Alys was a child nurse for the House Strong family in Harrenhal and could apparently see visions of the future.

When Aemond Targaryen, Daemon's nephew, and Ser Criston Cole take over Harrenhal in the name of Aegon II, Aemond orders the deaths of House Strong because they assisted Daemon. Aemond spares Alys' life, and she becomes his bedmate.

Later, Alys becomes pregnant and claims she is carrying Aemond's child. When Daemon returns to Harrenhal to duel with Aemond, Alys watches both men fight and die in Gods Eye lake.

She then disappears until after the civil war between the Blacks, supporting Rhaenyra's family, and the Greens, supporting Aegon's family, has ended.

At this point, she has taken over Harrenhal with a group of outlaws and claims her son is the rightful heir to the throne, challenging the current king, Aegon III. There were also rumors that she had a dragon inside the castle.

Unfortunately, her story ends there, and she isn't mentioned in the rest of "Fire and Blood."

Since "House of the Dragon" is mostly centered on the "Dance of the Dragons" civil war, we may not find out what happened to Alys and her child. But she may have a larger role in the series since she's already interacting with Daemon.

• The Song of Ice and Fire prophecy is mentioned in "House of the Dragon" season two, episode three.
• Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower discuss it in King's Landing.
• The prophecy is a major connection between "House of the Dragon" and "Game of Thrones."

Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) discuss the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy at the end of "House of the Dragon," season two, episode three — which is a major reference to "Game of Thrones."

During the episode, Rhaenyra grapples with the idea that neither Targaryen faction actually wants their stalemate to escalate into an all-out war, largely because it would lead to thousands of needless deaths — especially if the dragons get involved.

So she hatches a plan to meet with Alicent while she's praying at the Great Sept of Baelor to start peace talks. After briefly disguising herself to gain entrance into the church, she meets her former friend, and they discuss? what caused their divide: King Viserys (Paddy Considine).

Alicent explains that as Viserys was dying, he mentioned "Aegon" and described "the Prince that was promised."

From Alicent's perspective, she thought he was referring to her son Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) as the heir to the throne.

However, Rhaenyra quickly figures out that he was actually trying to talk to her about the Song of Ice and Fire. But why is that important?

The Song of Ice and Fire is a nod to "Game of Thrones"

The Song of Ice and Fire is a prophecy from King Aegon the Conqueror, who had a dream about an impending darkness that will threaten Westeros, and that a king or queen would take the Iron Throne and defeat the evil to save the world.

Aegon's prophecy was passed down from king to heir over several generations. Viserys told Rhaenyra about it back in the first season, because he recognized her as his true heir.

As anyone who has watched "Game of Thrones" will know, the growing darkness refers to the White Walkers and the hordes of the undead that they control.

By the end of the main series, it's revealed that Jon Snow (Kit Harington) is secretly a Targaryen, and his true name is Aegon — which is important because he's a key player in defeating the White Walkers.

There was also speculation that Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) would be a version of the "prince who was promised," but she was unsuccessful in taking the Iron Throne for herself, and ultimately went mad with power by the end of the final season.

Referencing the "Song of Ice and Fire" doesn't mean that White Walkers are about to start showing up in "House of the Dragon," but it's a great way of connecting the prequel and the main show.

Because "Game of Thrones" is one of the biggest shows of all time, it's not surprising that HBO is developing other prequels and spinoffs, including "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms."

So it's entirely possible that future projects might also build more history into Aegon's prophecy in the "Game of Thrones" timeline.

• Daemon Targaryen is a fan-favorite in "House of the Dragon."
• The character is doomed to die during the civil war if the TV series follows its source material.
• Here's how Daemon dies in George R. R. Martin's "Fire and Blood."

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season two and the book "Fire and Blood."

The latest episode of "House of the Dragon" season two may have just teased the death of Daemon Targaryen.

Daemon, the king consort of one of the two people vying for the Iron throne, is one of the most popular characters from the hit "Game of Thrones" prequel series, inspiring multiple horny memes and an obsession for Matt Smith, the actor who plays him.

But in the first few episodes of season two, Daemon makes multiple reckless decisions, pushing the kingdom closer to civil war.

Daemon orders the assassination of his nephew/half-brother-in-law Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), gets child prince Jaehaerys Targaryen murdered instead, and then flies off to Harrenhal with his dragon Caraxes, leaving wife/niece/queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) to solve the mess he made.

In episode three, Daemon succeeds in capturing Harrenhal with his dragon. Later in the episode, Daemon has a strange hallucination where he sees a younger version of Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) stitching Jaehaery's head back to his body.

When Daemon wakes up, he meets a woman in black (Gayle Rankin) outside the castle, who ominously says, "You will die in this place," before walking away.

Fans of "Fire and Blood," the source material for the TV series, may have figured out this woman is likely Alys Rivers. In the book, Alys lived in Harrenhal and was believed to be a witch who could see the future.

This prophecy does not bode well for Daemon since an army is on its way to take over Harrenhal and slay any of Rhaenyra's allies.

Here's how Daemon Targaryen dies in "Fire and Blood."

Aemond and Daemon kill each other during a duel above the Gods Eye lake near Harrenhal

Since season one, "House of the Dragon" has foreshadowed a duel between Daemon and Aemond. They are the strongest warriors, Aemond idolizes Daemon, and Daemon wants to eliminate Aemond's massive dragon, Vhagar.

When Aemond first comes to Harrenhall in "Fire and Blood," Daemon flees to help Rhaenyra take over Westeros' capital, King's Landing. Daemon eventually goes to another castle, cheats on Rhaenyra and his lover, Nettles, is declared an enemy of the queen.

Instead of returning to his wife, Daemon flies back to Harrenhal to challenge Aemond and Vhagar to a duel. The battle above the Gods Eye lake near the castle is fierce, and eventually, the dragons crash into each other and descend toward the lake.

Daemon uses the opportunity to jump on Vhagar and stab Aemond through his fake eye, and then both men and the dragons crash into the lake.

"Fire and Blood" is written like a historical account, so Aemond, Vhagar, and Caraxes' deaths are confirmed when their bodies are recovered. But Daemon's body is never found, leading to theories he escaped to be with his mistress, Nettles.

Since "House of the Dragon" takes a more definitive approach, maybe we'll learn if Daemon died in Gods Eye or escaped.

• Dalia Goldberg chose to leave the US in 2010 to earn her BA at McGill University in Canada.
• During her four years in college, she experienced some culture shock and learned a new language.
• After graduating, she continued living abroad, is now happily settled in Spain, and has no debt. 

It was 2009, my senior year of high school and I felt clueless.

I'd never fit in particularly well at school. I enjoyed learning when I was younger, but toned down my enthusiasm when it became clear that having too many nerdy interests was "uncool." So by the time some of my peers were eagerly filling out college applications and even discussing what they might choose as a major, I was still dragging my feet.

I didn't feel particularly excited about the future. What was the big deal about college, anyway? I'd just be studying the same old subjects, preparing for some job I didn't really want. My parents took me on college visits, where we attended presentations that I listened to halfheartedly.

Growing up in a Philadelphia suburb, the University of Miami caught my eye. I was enamored by the lush green campus filled with flowers and fountains, just a half-hour drive from South Beach. The distance from my hometown was an added bonus. But with a whopping cost of attendance of over $50,000 per year at the time (including fees, room, and board), I'd definitely have to take out student loans.

Similarly, NYU offered the excitement of living in a big city, but the tuition fees nearing $60,000 per year were daunting.

I began filling out applications to state schools, a more affordable option. But I couldn't quite give up my dream of moving further away and having an adventure.

I started looking into colleges outside the US

I wanted to meet new people, explore new places, and get a fresh start. Maybe if I could get away from memories of middle-school bullies and awkward encounters with boys, I could finally start to enjoy studying again.

My parents had bought me a big book of colleges, which I haphazardly flicked through while watching TV. Then, something caught my eye. Not all the colleges in the book were American; some were overseas, and those were cheaper, a lot cheaper.

"Can I visit Trinity College Dublin?" I asked my parents. But they weren't fans of this idea. Europe was far away, and going back and forth would be expensive. Would European degrees be valid in the US? There were too many variables.

So I proposed a closer option: McGill University in Montreal. It was well-known in the US and just a 1.5 hour flight from Philadelphia. You could even take the train. The costs were significantly cheaper than my other favorites: around $25,000 for the year, including room and board.

Deciding on Montreal came with challenges

During my first visit to Montreal, I knew it was the place for me. I loved the narrow streets of the Old City, the plazas, the bars, and the restaurants. I also found the school appealing. I felt that this was a place where I'd be free to do things my way. I liked the independent approach to student life, with most students moving off-campus after their first year.

When I went back to my high school, I pushed harder on my academic efforts than before. I studied hard in my French class, got a few letters of recommendation, and took the ACTs and SAT subject tests. Finally, I got the score I needed for admission.

Leading up to graduation, I started to have cold feet. I'd be leaving all the friends I'd made in the last few years and starting completely from scratch. Did I really want to do this? Some friends thought it was cool that I was moving to Canada, but others found it odd. Even when I explained the lower costs, it sounded too far away to them.

When I got to Montreal, I didn't feel comfortable right away. Like any college freshman, I was somewhat anxious about being away from home for the first time, but there was also the added element of culture shock.

I'd become friends with a French exchange student at my high school and spent some time in France, but I soon found the language and expressions used in Quebec were a lot different. I also didn't know much about Canadian culture — the slang, the history, the education system, and the way of viewing the world.

At first, as I met groups of students who all knew each other from high school, I felt like it would be hard to find my place at McGill. Still, after a while, I found a good group of friends, got involved in city activities, and began feeling at home.

Starting my career abroad

After receiving my diploma four years later, I knew I wanted to stay abroad.

I applied for a post-graduate work permit that allowed me to stay in Canada, and found a job at a marketing agency where I had to speak French every day. At first, I felt intimidated. I didn't get some of the jokes and cultural references made around the office, so socializing was hard. Still, over time I began to feel more comfortable working in a second language.

After a few years, I decided to move to Berlin with my partner at the time. It was hard to find work, learn German, and navigate the immigration system, but I drew on my previous experiences to help and found a remote job teaching English online. We continued moving around Europe until I settled in Spain in 2018, where I started a career as a freelance content writer and journalist.

Moving abroad for my degree gave me the courage to pursue my own path. As I learned to figure out confusing visa situations, new cultures, and foreign language environments, I became more resilient and motivated in my career.

Not having a student loan to pay off was an added bonus.

Got a personal essay about choosing to attend college outside the US that you want to share? Get in touch with the editor: akarplus@businessinsider.com.