Bama Bloggers Abroad
The Next Flight
The next flight feels different. As I prepare to leave Rome, I find myself caught between looking back at everything these past few months have given me and looking ahead to what comes next. It...
Finding Home in the Ocean
Studying abroad in Belize has been one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. When I first arrived, I felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. I had never traveled somewhere so different...
Highlight: TukTuk tour in Lisbon!
The highlight of my first days on my study abroad has been taking a Tuk Tuk tour. A Tuk Tuk is a cross between a Vespa and a golf cart. They seem vintage; a lot of them are modeled in the European...
The Start. — UA in Europe: Macroeconomics
The maymester starts only a few days after the finals in Tuscaloosa end. During your finals, you might be daydreaming of what your classes, adventure, and life will look like in a week...
Returning Back Home From Italy
Upon my return home, I have noted differences from Italy. One difference is not having to pay tolls every time I drive. When my group was riding our bus to different locations, the driver had to pay...
I’m In Italy!
I’m writing this after arriving in Sienna after about 4 days in Rome. It’s been quite an adjustment, both physically from the jetlag, and culturally because everything from the bathrooms to the...
The Comparison Kept Breaking
My family never left America. Not once growing up, and not for lack of curiosity, it just was not something we did. So when the chance to study abroad came up through the University of Alabama, the...
thoughts + apprehension on the way to Study Abroad
05/13/2026 As I sit on the plane that is taking me to Costa Rica, I can’t help but share a few sentiments. Over the past week, I felt a different mix of emotions. My feelings ranged from sadness and...
When in Bologna…
I have arrived! My first impression of the city is its beauty. It can seem sketchy on the outskirts of the town due to rundown buildings and graffiti, but once we arrived in the city, I was taken...
From Walking the Stage to Walking through the Terminal
On May 1st, 2026, I graduated with a B.S. degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Cybersecurity. 4 days later, I immediately drove to Atlanta where I would meet my classmates for the...
Pre-departure Thoughts Before London
As I prepare to leave for my trip abroad, I am reflecting on my motivation for why I decided to study abroad. Throughout my nursing school journey, I have gained an understanding that the healthcare...
From finals to flights… Greece, I’m ready for you
As my trip to Greece gets closer, it’s starting to feel a lot more real—and honestly a mix of excitement and nerves. I decided to study abroad because I wanted to experience something outside of my...
First Impressions: The World is Waiting
A couple of months ago, I made a last-second decision to apply for the UA Macroeconomics Study Abroad trip. I had seen a flyer about the program and decided to do a little research. It seemed...
My Transatlantic Flight / Arriving in Dubrovnik
Hello! My name is Michael Azzato, and I am currently studying abroad through the UA in Europe Program for Macroeconomics in Croatia and Italy. The first stop on our faculty-led trip was in...
Officially Abroad in Athens!
From the moment we arrived in Greece, I felt like I had stepped into an entirely different rhythm of life. The very first thing I noticed was just how full and alive everything felt. The streets...
Welcome to Athens!
Since the moment I arrived in Athens, it has been an extremely busy but worthwhile experience. My program consists of three in-clinic days seeing a vast variety of patients as well as introduction...
Expecting the Unexpected: Pre-Departure for Europe
If there's one thing I've learned from travelling, it's that you have to expect the unexpected. No matter how much you plan, prepare, or organize before the trip, something will go wrong. It's not a...
Going Beyond the Classroom: Why Study Abroad
Next stop, Sint Maarten! I chose to study abroad because I wanted to challenge my perspective and step out of the "Tuscaloosa bubble." While I love the University of Alabama, I knew that...
Pre-Departure blog
My name is Luke, and I am very excited to go on my study abroad trip. I will be spending 3 days in Barcelona, a week in Lisbon, and a week in Porto. I will be traveling with the Management...
Second Time Around: Same Place, Better Vibes
Coming back for my second arrival honestly felt so different from the first time—in a really good way. The first time I got here, everything felt kind of chaotic and new, and I was just trying to...
First Time For Everything: Going to not just one but FOUR new countries
Coming to The University of Alabama, I was certain of a lot of things. I would come to experience some of which would come to fruition after my first year and some of which I would still have to...
Studying Abroad: A Life-Changing Experience
Our group at the British Medical Association
Return from Bangkok
Upon arriving back home, I felt grateful for the experiences that I had while abroad and Bangkok. Of course I will miss the people I met, fun excursions, and the daily walk to the coffee shop, but I...
Exploring Beyond the Classroom
One of the biggest reasons I was excited to study abroad was the opportunity to travel and experience places I had only ever seen in pictures. While the academic side of studying abroad has been...
Return from Japan: Why you Should Study Abroad
It has been some time since I got back home from my study abroad to Japan, and there have been both ups and downs. It was wonderful seeing my friends and family, and feeling the familiarity of home,...
Back in the States! (I Miss Italy)
Now that a few months have passed since studying abroad in, I have had time to reflect on just how meaningful the experience was. At the time, I knew I was making incredible memories, but I didn't...
Living in Ireland
I have been in Dublin for over two weeks now studying at UCD, and it has been so much fun! When I first got here I was nervous, but my whole IFSA group bonded fast, and we hang out all of the time...
Welcomed With Open Arms
I am traveling to Argentina, Chile, and Peru with the UA in South America: Innovation & Entrepreneurship Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program from May 7 to 19. As a biology student on the...
What Class Looks Like In Barcelona
Taking classes abroad in Barcelona has been a different experience from what I’m used to at the University of Alabama. One of the biggest differences is the people in my classes. Instead of being...
An Unexpected Trip to the South
When I began college, studying abroad was a goal of mine, but as a German major, there were particular countries that I imagined I would travel to first. Certainly Germany or Austria would be the...
Thoughts Before First Study Abroad in Japan
I never thought I would study abroad. I’ve always seen myself as the kind of student who stays practical: a scholarship student who doesn’t have extra room in the budget for experiences labeled as...
From Bama to Belize: Preparation to Study Abroad
When I found out about the study abroad trip to Belize -- and that my scholarship would help pay for it -- I got pretty excited. For many years I have been interested in exploring different...
Why I am Studying Abroad!
I chose to study abroad for multiple reasons, each meaning a lot me and what I am enthusiastic about. The summer is the best ideal time for me to study abroad, and I loved that it would be an...
Getting Ready for Belize: Excitement, Nerves, and Big Dreams
As my trip to Belize gets closer, it's starting to feel more real with every passing day. The decision to study abroad came from a simple but powerful desire: I want to see more of the world. I've...
Pre-Departure: Prepping as a First Time Flyer!
As the countdown to my study abroad program gets shorter, everything is starting to feel real in a way it didn’t before. When I first learned about the opportunity to study in Greece, something...
Roll Tide!
It has been two weeks since I have returned to the states from my journey in Porto, Portugal. I was graciously able to have a week at home to reacclimate to the states, and now I am back in the land...
An Unexpected Day in Cinque Terre
Me and Jill during our hike in Cinque Terre!
It’s Almost Time!
As I am sitting here, awaiting time to leave for the airport, I am both nervous and excited to see what the next week will hold. As a non-traditional student in a graduate program, I was not aware...
Volunteering Abroad with Glasswing
The best part of my abroad program was our opportunity to volunteer with a nonprofit called Glasswing International in Panama City, Panama. This organization provides support for youth empowerment...
Britain at Half Past
The semester is just past half finished, and Britain is in full bloom. Since my arrival in Grantham, I have seen many moons, and one of the brightest of them all so far has been the UK itself. Five...
Saying Goodbye to my Home for the past Four Months
By Lauren K. My study abroad experience has not been the typical one in Spain or Italy. Instead of living in a student housing dorm or apartment, I have been living on a ship, the MV World Odyssey,...
To the Student Anxious About Making Friends Abroad:
by Abbye W. Before I studied abroad, I thought my biggest fear would be getting lost in a foreign city, struggling with the language barrier, or being far away from home. But honestly, my biggest...
First Thoughts
by Cade A. Taking classes abroad has been one of the most interesting experiences of studying abroad thus far. I am currently studying in Barcelona, Spain, through a hybrid program split between two...
2 Years in Panama
by Conner L. Now that I have returned after our week abroad, it hasn't really hit me yet that my involvement in this program is almost over. I was selected to go on the trip in Fall 2024, and now...
Starting Over
Above is a picture from my first day in Barcelona. Roll Tide! Hey all! My name is Jackson and I am currently studying in Barcelona. This post, however, is going to be about how I felt before my...
Sitting Still for Once – Panamá
As someone who’s always thinking ahead—deadlines, goals, what’s next—I don’t slow down easily. But in a small Emberá village, I didn’t really have a choice. No Wi-Fi. No distractions. No reason to...
Working in an International Context
Empty Streets at 18:00 in Vesterbro, Copenhagen Coming into my internship within Copenhagen, I was familiar with the generic and mass-communicated aspects of Danish work culture. I read articles,...
Resort Tour in Malaysia
While in Penang, Malaysia, my contemporary management class had the opportunity to tour the Shangri La Penang Rasa Saya resort and learn about how they manage it! While this resort chain is not in...
Visit to Wonder of the World!
Three weeks ago, I got the opportunity to visit my first wonder of the world- the Taj Mahal in India! The Semester at Sea boat, MV World Odyssey, ported in Kochi. Then a group of about forty other...
Golden Goals
As my first trip of my twenties, I chose to travel to Milan with a quick stop in Lake Como for the Olympics. It was the first trip I planned entirely on my own. Although navigating the busy train...