Bama Bloggers Abroad
Advice for Spain Travels – Reality and Necessities
Studying abroad in Spain was one of the most enriching experiences of my college journey, and I’m grateful for every moment spent exploring the historic streets of Madrid and the vibrant coast of...
Reflection On My Return From Belize
Now that I’m back home, my mind is filled with a mix of emotions. The moment I stepped off the plane and into the airport, everything felt so familiar, yet different. I was excited to reunite with...
State-side Again: A Reflection on My Time in New Zealand
The past three weeks have been packed full of incredible adventures, but the time has absolutely flown by. It all feels like a blur of hikes, cities, restaurants, presentations, and traveling....
Almost Out the Door: Getting Ready for Spain
Getting ready to go abroad to Spain has been a mix of excitement, nerves, and a whole lot of list-making. It still doesn’t feel totally real, but with my flight coming up soon, I’m starting to feel...
Traveling to New Zealand (ft. first impressions)
“I’m naming this first leg of our trip ‘Escape from LA,’” joked my study abroad professor as we fumbled our way through the labyrinth of the LAX airport, trying to find the international terminal. I...
Grateful for Spain: A Chapter I’ll Never Forget
Only 20 days left before the end of my study abroad program, and it’s bittersweet. It’s hard to accept that I’ll soon be leaving a place that has truly become a second home. While I’m excited to...
Time to go home
Somehow, it is now already May, now I have to get ready to go home somehow. I have studied abroad these past two semesters, one in Rome and one in Paris. It has flown by like it was nothing, I 1000%...
Study Trip to Japan
For spring break, I went on an astronomy and computer science-based study trip with my school, AUP, to Tokyo, Japan. This trip was filled with it all, we got to explore Tokyo and went to 3 other...
Exploring Impact & Innovation in Panama City: A Day with GELI- UA in Panama
Today, our Manderson Graduate College GELI cohort had an incredible day in Panama City, diving into impactful community service, engaging with global business leaders, and exploring innovation in...
Day 4: Navigating History at the Panama Canal – A UA Adventure!
Good morning from Panama City! Today was all about one of the modern wonders of the world—the iconic Panama Canal—and what an unforgettable day it was! Journey to the CanalAfter a hearty breakfast,...
What they don’t tell you about life in Japan.
Truthfully, I haven't been dealing with a lot of culture shock. It turns out that researching and studying a country for three years will prepare you for the cultural differences and challenges you...
Pre-Departure
Experiencing the world and discovering something new offers opportunities that aren’t available to everyone, making my feelings about traveling abroad even more appreciative and exciting. For most...
UA in Panama : Day 1
Our first full day in Panama was nothing short of amazing! As part of the Manderson Graduate College of Business and the Global Experiential Learning Initiative (GELI), we dove headfirst into the...
Pre-Departure Reflections: Embarking on the Manderson Global Experiential Learning Initiative in Panama
As the countdown to my departure for Panama begins, I find myself reflecting on what led me to this incredible opportunity and what I hope to gain from it. The Manderson Global Experiential Learning...
Return: Panama City, Panama
After returning, all I really want to do is go study abroad again. It was such a fun and rewarding experience and really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I feel like I am more certain of my career...
While Abroad
Hi from Ghana, my first impression upon arriving in my host country was excitement and amazement, and the country's scenery. But when I arrived at the host college, I quickly had thoughts running...
Country-Hopping and Culture Shock
Many of us who have the opportunity to travel abroad will experience many different countries, and with that WILL come culture shock, too. Whether you are traveling to one country and hopping around...
New Beginnings in an Old City: My First Day Abroad in Dubrovnik
Bright and sunny. I had read plenty about my European destinations and expected stunning views, but nothing could have truly prepared me for how breathtaking Dubrovnik is in person. The moment I...
1 week into living life on a ship
Let me warn you, my study abroad experience is not the typical one, but it is just that much more interesting! I am a junior at The University of Alabama studying advertising and sales. I am...
Living in Birmingham, UK
It has been a little bit over a week since I arrived at the Univesity of Birmingham and it has already been so much fun, but it has also been a smooth transition. Since being here I have been able...
Studying Shakespeare in England and Traveling to the Globe!
“I like this place and could willingly waste my time in.” A month travelling across England to see stage adaptations from the Bard himself makes me agree with his sentiment! As part of our EN 333...
Places, People, and Practicalities: Mapping Daily Life in Porto
I spent three weeks in Porto for the European Innovation Academy, living near Polo Universitário, so the neighborhood and the people around campus shaped how I used the city each day. After locking...
Thank You New Zealand!
The final part of the trip was in incredible! The day after we arrived in Wellington, we had the opportunity to take a ferry and go to Eastbourne, which was a little town across the Wellington...
Uncle Ho Welcomes You to Hanoi
After over six months of anticipation, I have finally arrived in beautiful Vietnam. This year marks the 50th anniversary of North Vietnam's triumph over the south and the United States, although...
Steps Towards Scotland
So, I’m getting ready to go abroad!!! I can’t believe it’s actually happening. This will be my first long trip out of the country, and to say I’m a mix of nerves and excitement would be an...
Edinburgh Awaits!
Hi everyone! My name is Isabella Hanson, and I am a junior dance and creative media major here at the university! I write this sitting in the airport, anticipating every moment that is to come with...
Take me Back
I'm back! Man does it feel weird. Weirdly, I'm feeling possessive over Ireland. I hear of people visiting or wanting to go there and I suddenly feel like I have a million words to say and not enough...
Couldn’t Have Been Better in Hindsight…
Now that I have finished my summer study abroad trip in France, I can safely say that that was one of the highlights of my life. When the time got close for me to actually go on the trip, I was...
Yonder Heads to Scotland!
Today, members of Yonder Contemporary Dance Company are heading to Scotland to perform in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After a seven-and-a-half-hour rehearsal yesterday, we’re feeling ready to...
Creepy Crawly Vietnam
Vietnam is a tropical paradise with an array of creepy crawly creatures. During a tour to the famous Mekong Delta, I had the opportunity to handle a beautiful python. We also took a stroll through a...
A Hitchhikers Guide to Edinburgh, Scotland
Haylee Elizabeth Pack Every August, Edinburgh transforms into a completely new world for the Fringe Festival, the largest celebration of theater, dance, music, and street performance. As a...
Transcendent Traditions–Oxford, England
The University of Oxford is almost 1000 years old (the founding is estimated at 1096 CE). The heritage and culture of this ancient institution can be seen embodied in the ceremonies and buildings of...
As Gaeilge Le do thoil- In Irish please!
I can't even begin to tell you how incredible this experience has been. Everybody always tells you how much study abroad changes your life, and of course I believed them, but I didn't think it would...
Sevilla!!
One of my first thoughts arriving in a new country was, “I want to go home”. I think this is a very common reaction I believe. I had traveled for almost 24 hours, I was with a large group of very...
My Friend Almost Gets Eaten
So far, my time in Belize has been everything I had hoped for and more. I have learned so much about native species and their roles in building and maintaining the reef, and I have also seen...
Preparing for the Trip of a Lifetime
I chose to study abroad in Belize for a variety of reasons. For one, I have never been abroad, and I figured it would be a good idea for my first time to be with a faculty-led study abroad program....
France-Bound!
As a French major, one of the biggest goals I had before entering college was to study abroad in a francophone country. As I started as a freshman at UA, I felt secure enough in my French skills to...
Xin Chào, Vietnam! Hello from a Grateful Traveler
Traveling from the United States to Vietnam was no easy feat. Serving as my first international flight experience, the two-day commute with multiple layovers truly tested my resilience and patience....
Adjusting to Life After My European Summer
After spending the last month living in Spain, I’m finally back home: jetlagged, disoriented, and wildly confused about when I'm supposed to eat dinner. (Seriously, how did I adjust to 10 p.m. meals...
Weekend Escape to Ischia – A Perfect Getaway
After a wonderful first week settling into life in Florence, I already feel like I’ve begun to adapt to the Italian lifestyle. From walking the historic streets and sipping espresso in local cafés...
Dolphins in Anguilla! by Six McPherson
I can't believe that this is day one of the final week of our Study Abroad trip in Saint Maarten. I have had so many unforgettable memories, made new friends, and enjoyed countless experiences...
Wheels, Waterways, and Waffles in Amsterdam
We ended our study abroad in the city of Amsterdam. This was one of my favorite cities to visit because of the beautiful waterways and canals that spread all over the town. The thing that was most...
On My Way!
As I finish up my junior year, I can’t believe I’m just weeks away from heading off on my study abroad adventure to Ghent, London, and Amsterdam! I’ve always dreamed of traveling, and when I learned...
First 3 Weeks in Barranquilla, Colombia!
When I first signed up for 6 weeks of school in Barranquilla, I thought I knew and was prepared for everything. Well- I was delightfully wrong! When I first signed up for six weeks of school in...
Sweet as Honey: Waiheke Island (Auckland, NZ)
Our day trip to Waiheke Island, a 45 minute ferry ride out of New Zealand was absolutely my most favorite day of the entire trip.We started the day off with a visit to Waiheke Honey Company, a local...
The Reef, The Ray, and The Responsibility (Cairns, AUS)
I am now on my 5th day of this amazing Study Abroad adventure through Australia and New Zealand, currently in Cairns. We have so much left to do in the city but we definitely did our big one...
Meet Arnold the Koala and Gundy the Blind Wombat (Sydney, AUS)
Just an hour drive out of Sydney, Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected 80-acre bushland space where native animals like kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, and of course, koalas roam freely and...
Returning Home: Reflection on Studying Abroad in Germany
After an incredible month in Germany and traveling in Europe, I am finally back home in the US and able to reflect on my time abroad. Following the three and a half weeks I studied German in...
UA in Germany 2025: Final Week and Return Home
Hello again everyone! Last time I checked in, I updated you all on my time in the cities of Konstanz and Strasbourg during my summer abroad in Germany. Well, I’m finally back home in Alabama, and...
You’ll Be Ok.
I don’t think I have been as afraid as I am now to travel. This summer, I am spending about three weeks in France. I have never been too far from my hometown, much less out of the country. When I...