by Claudia M | May 29, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Australia/New Zealand, Faculty-Led, Summer
This was an especially early morning. I staggered around and got dressed at 5:30 this morning. Then, our whole group loaded onto a glass-ceiling bus and began our long journey. About two hours in, we stopped for breakfast in Te Anau. I got some incredible banana...
by Anna C | May 26, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Australia/New Zealand, Faculty-Led, Summer
I have two days left in New Zealand. I’ve been here for three weeks now but feel like I’ve practically moved here. Cars driving on the left side is expected now. Replying “kia ora” or “hello” to locals is second nature. Seeing...
by Anna C | May 26, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Australia/New Zealand, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Time seems to greatly speed up when you find yourself in another country. I have been in New Zealand for 12 days now, but I feel like I landed just yesterday. No one in my group ever knows what day of the week it is or how long we’ve been here. We start our days...
by Angel T | May 22, 2019 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Upon deciding that I wanted to study abroad in South Africa, I received a lot of questions and backlash. I got many questions such as “Why Africa?” Comments such as “I would never go there.” and “Make sure you get your shots.” I am...
by Riley R | May 19, 2019 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
The contrast between Johannesburg and Cape Town is immense, but I value both experiences exponentially. Many parts of Cape Town could be described as ~boujee~. Our first stop was a high-class beachfront location. It was a starch difference between the people and...
by Riley R | May 19, 2019 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
When we arrived at our hostel in Johannesburg, the experience became real. I had three roommates, so our dorm/hostel room consisted of a bathroom bunk beds and two stationary beds. We did not immediately hit it off, but I think it was understandable since we had all...
by Claudia M | May 17, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Australia/New Zealand, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
At 4am tomorrow morning, I will be dropped off at the Birmingham airport where I will catch a flight to Houston and then to Auckland, New Zealand. It still seems quite surreal that all of my preparation has finally paid off and the day has finally arrived. I spent...
by Brooke H | May 15, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, South America, Summer, _
Sitting in my terminal waiting to board the plane that will take me to Belize, I’m nervous. I’m wondering if I forgot anything. I’m worried about customs since I’ve never flown by myself or been to a foreign country without my family. I’m scared the other students I’m...
by Emma B | May 15, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, South America, Summer, _
This week before going abroad has been crazy! I was on the way home from UA when I realized I did not have my passport. I went back to my apartment in Tuscaloosa and looked EVERYWHERE before accepting defeat. I was freaking out because I only had 8 days before...
by Ellie N | May 14, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Education, North America, Summer, UA-Affiliate
Spanish speakers are so incredibly prevalent in the United States, yet too often they are unfairly marginalized. As a future educator, I can prevent this from happening at the student level by educating myself in order to better understand and communicate with people...
by Emily C | Apr 30, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
I can’t believe I only have a month left in this magical city! I have met so many incredible new friends and travelled to so many new places. One of the main things that has surprised me about this experience is how much I have ended up traveling in my host...
by Averi L | Apr 30, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Education, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate
When I made my decision to study abroad in Florence, Italy, it was a pretty hasty choice without much research to back it. I had known all throughout college that I wanted to study abroad, and...
by Oscar V | Apr 24, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Living in the United Kingdom has been eye opening I would say. I have seen, eaten, and tried so many new things. From visiting Hampton Court, to exploring the Victoria-Albert Museum, attending so many productions (experimental, theatre, dance, and music), and even...
by Anna K | Apr 23, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Exchange, Semester
When I found out I was going to Leicester, I was skeptical because I had never heard of it before. I thought that it was a ‘nobody’ town, especially since no one else I knew had heard of it. Turns out that Leicester is one of the bigger cities in the UK....
by Zach S | Apr 23, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate
The past three months have flown by in a blur, and the realization that I return home in a month is slowly beginning to set in. Studying abroad in Europe has presented me with one amazing opportunity after another, ranging from traversing beautiful gardens and villas...
by Caila B | Apr 22, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
In the weeks leading up to my semester abroad, I had a a lot of worries running through my mind, but above all, I was nervous about “culture shock.” It seemed as though I couldn’t escape that term, as warnings flew at me from every direction whether...
by Johnathan A | Apr 18, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Comm & Info Sciences, Europe, Exchange, Semester
I knew coming in that Leicester was known for its diversity, but it wasn’t until I became more comfortable that I would realize just how special and interesting this city was. When I had locked in my decision to study abroad in the UK, everyone’s first...
by Blake Childers | Apr 5, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
The month of March has been one full of travel! I’ve been somewhere new each week! I went to Belfast with AIFS (included in my program fee) for the first weekend of March. When we arrived in Belfast, we went on a bus tour of the city. We saw the Peace Wall, Samson and...
by Garrett C | Mar 28, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Central America, UA-Affiliate, _
After two months abroad in Costa Rica, I am finally back home in the states. When I saw my family for the first time in the airport, I was definitely happy to see them, but it was also bittersweet. The trip had never felt officially over until that moment, and I...
by Zach S | Feb 28, 2019 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate
I believe there are a finite amount of times in a person’s life when they are doing something and are suddenly struck by the overwhelming significance of their ongoing experience. Sometimes it is when we are doing something for the last time, for example attending...
