The Answer is Yes

The Answer is Yes

Are you excited?  The question asked by every encounter for the last month. The answer is YES.  In truth, there is more behind the one word answer that everyone receives; rather a novel could be written on the eagerness and thrill of packing up and moving to...
From Alabama to Athens!

From Alabama to Athens!

As I am entering my senior year at the University of Alabama, I could not be more excited to finally fulfill my dreams of studying abroad! From my very first year in college, I knew that travel was an area that I wanted to pursue in my life. After reading the...
Why Madrid?

Why Madrid?

I’ve wanted to study abroad ever since I graduated high school. I knew I wanted to go to a Spanish-speaking country to further my language proficiency, but besides that, I didn’t have much else planned. As soon as I started my sophomore year, I began researching which...
A Week Removed

A Week Removed

Sunset over Piazza del Popolo with St. Peter’s Basilica in the distance A week after my return to the states, I feel well adjusted to home. When I first got off the plane in Atlanta and saw a sign in English I was taken aback. This was slightly humorous but...
When in Rome…

When in Rome…

Trevi Fountain I am writing this post from my bed back home. It is so hard to believe that my time in Rome has come to an end. I feel like my 10 weeks in Rome went by so quickly. While I am glad to be home and getting to see my friends and family again, I do miss Rome...
Reflections

Reflections

Having been home for a few days now, I have had time to think and reflect about my study abroad experience in Spain. The experiences I have had and the memories I have made have been incredibly developmental to my character and perspective. Coming back to the US, I...
Ciao Roma!

Ciao Roma!

Studying abroad with something I would have wanted to do since high school. I wanted to experience a new culture and widen my educational horizons. Despite being delayed a year by COVID, I’m thankful to still get the opportunity to study abroad. To prepare for...
Arrival

Arrival

I arrived in San Juan, Costa Rica, around 2:30 on January 17th. Only after waiting in the customs line for 45 minutes did I realize that the american man standing behind me, who had been on my flight, was also a UA student there for the same program. We hurried...
glasgow, you’re fab

glasgow, you’re fab

So we’ve all heard by now how corona virus has affected all of the students on study abroad. The chaos a week before myself and two friends were supposed to be off to Spain and Portugal for our spring holidays, which lasts a month over here! As our numbers dwindled,...
buzzing through glasgow

buzzing through glasgow

Glasgow is classified as a UNESCO City of Music which is thrilling. There are always so many shows going on and live music nights out. I have a weakness for spending money on concerts and music so this is a dangerous place for me to be. This post will showcase some...
Glasgow Impressions

Glasgow Impressions

It was 8 am and it was still dark outside. Forget jet lag messing with your sense of time, the light here made me constantly question what time it was when I first arrived. The sun doesn’t rise until after 8 and it is dark again by 5 pm. On the plus side, I have never...
Barcelona, Here I Come!

Barcelona, Here I Come!

Pre-Departure Get to know me! My name is Amanda Catalano and I am a junior at Alabama. I am studying Psychology and Spanish, and I am from Wisconsin. I am studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain through an affiliate program called CEA. I chose to study abroad because I...