Sweet Home Alabama

It was a long journey home, but I have safely returned to Alabama! After landing and going through dreadful customs at the airport, I was so excited to be able to run into the arms of my mom and dad. I even enjoyed a nice Chick-Fil-A meal on the way home :). While I...

Hello from Athens, Greece!

My first few days in Athens, Greece have been truly amazing. Maybe it is from the pure exhaustion of jet-lag (an eight hour time difference) or maybe it is the excitement of exploring a new country. The first two days consisted of sight-seeing. Our team began the trip...

4 days & 1,570 people

I am halfway through my medical trip in Zambia and all I can say is WOW! This beautiful country is full of beautiful and smiling people. We arrived and met some of the translators we would be working with at the clinics and those were the first Zambian people we met...

Life in Mumbwa, Zambia

We have just arrived to our first school and my first impression of this place is overwhelming. My heart is broken to see the conditions that most people live in, but my attitude quickly changed from sadness to awe. These people may not have much but their smile is...

Changing Lives in Zambia

We made it! We have arrived in Mumbwa, Zambia and today was our first day setting up a mobile clinic. My heart broke today as people lined the streets waiting for us to arrive to receive medical attention. We got to the local school, unloaded our supplies, and...

Here We Come Zambia!

Coming to UA, I never really saw myself leaving the state of Alabama. Alabama is home to me and I grew up just 2 hours north of Title Town. I always heard people talk about their adventures in Spain or Italy and the amazing experiences they had abroad, but I never...

Up Up and…17 hour flight away

Hello all!! This is my first ever blog post, so here goes nothing. I just finished my senior year! Yay class of 2018! So you might be asking yourself, why is this person going on a study abroad and paying for an additional class that is not needed to graduate? The...
First day at clinic

First day at clinic

We went to a government funded clinic in a town about 5 hours away from where we are staying today. There were a lot of people gathered outside when we arrived, I think they knew we were coming. I was put in the assessment group and we did a quick assessment of the...
Pre-Departure- Ethiopia!

Pre-Departure- Ethiopia!

I have one more day in T-town before I set off to Ethiopia! I got back from Serbia two weeks ago and the travel fever has set in since then.. I’m ready for my next adventure! I’ve got my 100% DEET insect repellent, my head scarf, my stethoscope etc. and...
Coming Home from Ethiopia

Coming Home from Ethiopia

I have always thought it’s harder to come home than it is to depart for a new adventure. After being in Ethiopia, getting to know the culture, and helping run a clinic almost every day I am kind of at a loss of what to do with myself. I spend the first week back...

Now That I’m Home…

Wow. I’ve been home from East Asia for a couple weeks, and in that time I’ve had the chance to reflect on all that I saw and learned while abroad. I’m definitely missing the city I was in, the family and group of nationals that we worked with each...

Grateful

After a long 17 hour flight back to America, and two more flights ahead before arriving back to Birmingham, I am very tired but excited to get home to a hot shower and soft bed. Yet, I am also really missing those sweet Ethiopian faces and their warm hospitality. As I...

Ethiopians

While studying abroad in Ethiopia I was able to meet hundreds of Ethiopians as my team and I set up medical clinics in the locals’ villages. The people were very welcoming and happy to see us. Some would stare in amazement at the color of our skin because they...