by Amelia W. | Jul 14, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Now that I’m done with my experience studying abroad in Benin, I have learned a lot, but not only in terms of academics; it also has been a very personal journey for me. In retrospect, there are certainly things I wish I’d known before I flew the coop. So to anyone...
by Amelia W. | Jul 14, 2025 | Africa, Summer, _
One of the main languages spoken in Benin, Africa is Fon and another commonly spoken language here is french. I personally am fluent in french and hearing Fon has confused me since some words sound completely different and some are the exact same. This has lead to me...
by Makiya H. | Jul 10, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
As my four-week study abroad experience in Benin, Africa comes to an end, I’m filled with mixed emotions like gratitude, nostalgia, and a little bit of sadness. The first week was a whirlwind of excursions, where we immersed ourselves in the culture, history, and the...
by Makiya H. | Jul 10, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
I have been in Benin, Africa, for one week, and I have already learned a great deal. We have started to explore African culture, religion, and economic development by visiting Ganvié, the “Venice of Africa,” Ouidah and all of its historic sites, Porto...
by Olivia B. | Jul 8, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
When I arrived in Cotonou on June 1, I was immediately overwhelmed by the airport. Although the airport was small, it was incredibly busy and only had one customs line and baggage claim area. After dropping our bags at our house, we went to dinner, and I was surprised...
by Amelia W. | Jun 23, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Hi, I’m Amelia from New Orleans, I am preparing for my study abroad adventure in Benin, Africa. As a student in the foreign languages and literature program, I’ve always been drawn to francophone cultures. Growing up surrounded by several francophone communities made...
by Olivia B. | Jun 23, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
When I signed up for UA in Benin I was very nervous, knowing little about Benin and throwing myself into this adventure alone. I had never been away from home for such a long time, and had never traveled somewhere so unfamiliar. However, I was still very excited! I...
by Tasha B. | Jan 6, 2025 | Africa, Faculty-Led, Semester, Social Work, _
I’m excited and nervous. It has been a lifelong dream of mine to study abroad, but life got in the way and prevented me from fulfilling my dreams. With my daughter being an adult and a college student herself, I thought it was a perfect time for me to have this...
by Hana F. | Jan 6, 2025 | Africa, Asia, Commerce & Business, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate
Embarking on Semester at Sea is singlehandedly the best decision I have made in my entire life. Ever since I was in middle school I knew I wanted to participate in the program and my dream has finally come true. I have just returned from Thailand, where the ship...
by Hana F. | Jan 6, 2025 | Africa, Commerce & Business, Semester, UA-Affiliate
During my time on Semester at Sea, I was able to visit Ghana for a few days. Our ship, the MV World Odyssey, ported in Tema, Ghana for three days and Takoradi, Ghana, for three days in October. My time in Ghana was very enriching and allowed me to fully immerse myself...
by Renee A. | Dec 12, 2024 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Non-traditional, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
Setbacks come in many shapes and sizes. For me, the worst types of challenges are the little ones that build on each other until you get to the point where any little inconvenience makes you feel like there is no way to overcome it. This trip is the first time where I...
by Renee A. | Nov 19, 2024 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Non-traditional, Summer, UA-Affiliate
Sometimes I wonder why I like to travel. Airports are intense, car rides are long, and trains aren’t very far-reaching (at least in the US). I will say that this flight has not made me any more excited about travel. Five of the seventeen students on my trip missed...
by Caroline Brantley | Nov 15, 2024 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Social Work, Summer
Nothing makes me quite as joyful as walking through an outdoor market in another country. I must say that Africa holds some of the coolest outdoor markets, and the markets I visited in Ghana did not disappoint. Filled with a beautiful combination of various smells...
by Caroline Brantley | Nov 15, 2024 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Social Work, Summer, _
There is something so grounding about sitting on the beach, especially in a foreign country. The ocean is vast and, yet, when you are sitting at the shoreline of any beach, you are watching the waves crashing into the sand and rocks in the same way they would miles...
by Riley Henneke | Jul 15, 2024 | Africa, Faculty-Led, Nursing, Summer
Outside of our time spent in clinic, we had some opporutinities to get to see and experience the country of Zambia. My top two favrotie experiences from the trip are the safari we did and seeing Victoria falls. During our safari we got to see zebras, buffalo, monkeys,...
by Riley Henneke | Jul 15, 2024 | Africa, Faculty-Led, Nursing, Summer
During our time in Zambia, we set up a pop up clinic for 4 days. The first 2 days we were at schools in the city and the last 2 days we were in a remote village south of the city. Every day when we got to the clinic, there were already close to a hundred people...
by Hana F. | Jun 27, 2024 | Africa, Asia, Commerce & Business, Europe, Non-traditional, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
As I am 95 days out from embarking on my Semester at Sea Fall voyage, I wanted to take some time to reflect on all the preparation I have done and still have to do. Semester at Sea has been a dream of mine since I was in middle school, but I never thought I...
by Caroline Brantley | Jun 13, 2024 | Africa, Faculty-Led, Social Work, Summer
As young adults, we are so often challenged to find our identity or question what we have always placed our identity in, and, as I am staring down the one-week mark before my departure to Ghana for my summer study abroad program, I feel once again challenged to reckon...
by Isabel Fontana | Jun 7, 2024 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
My time in Morocco has been a whirlwind. Between studying Arabic at an institution and exploring every corner of Morocco while absorbing the culture, the past four weeks have flown by. While in Morocco I have seen so many different cultures and ways of life. While...
by Isabel Fontana | Jun 6, 2024 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Arriving to a new country can be incredibly overwhelming. You’re in a strange new place that you may have never been before that may also speak a language that you do not know. Some of your first interactions may be scary and you can often feel very alone. But...
