by Clay B. | Nov 20, 2024 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Hello once again, treasured reader! I hope this blog post finds you well and in good spirits. Final quick intro, here we go: My name is Clay Boeninger, a rising third-year student at the University of Alabama studying economics and finance and minoring in Spanish and...
by Anabelle B. | Jul 29, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
I’ve now been living in Tokyo, Japan for a little over 3 months and can definitely say that the homesickness is kicking in. As this is my second consecutive semester studying abroad, I knew to expect these feelings and am doing my best to deal with them. There...
by Ava N. | Jul 16, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Exchange, Semester, _
With both of my hands grasped tightly around the rusty metal rail, I gazed down upon the rocks scattered far across the coastline and the waves that engulfed them. A small island floated in the distance. The sun’s light caused the ocean to sparkle with the confidence...
by Madison C. | Jun 27, 2024 | Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Engineering, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
After some time in Australia, we headed to our first stop in New Zealand, Queenstown! Leading up to this part of the trip, I wasn’t actually that excited. I was dreading being in the cold weather and was worried I did not pack right for the cold. But once we got to...
by Madison C. | Jun 27, 2024 | Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Engineering, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Sydney!! Sydney was by far my favorite part of the Australia leg of the trip. The Opera house was even more amazing in person and the architecture and structure of it all was fascinating. The harbor itself was beautiful with the bridge, the Sydney skyline, and the...
by Madison C. | Jun 27, 2024 | Asia, Engineering, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
The first leg of my trip began in Melbourne, Australia. I was lucky to have overall smooth sailing with all of my flights and my baggage made it intact. A full wrap around neck pillow saved me on the 14-hour flights from Houston, Texas to Auckland, New Zealand and I...
by Hana F. | Jun 27, 2024 | Africa, Asia, Commerce & Business, Europe, Non-traditional, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
As I am 95 days out from embarking on my Semester at Sea Fall voyage, I wanted to take some time to reflect on all the preparation I have done and still have to do. Semester at Sea has been a dream of mine since I was in middle school, but I never thought I...
by Owen M. | May 22, 2024 | Asia, Engineering, Non-traditional, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Maintaining your well-being while abroad is key to enjoying your experience to the fullest. Whether it’s mental, physical, or social health, each aspect plays a crucial role in your overall happiness. Balancing these areas is vital, as none should be overlooked....
by Owen M. | May 22, 2024 | Asia, Engineering, Honors College, Non-traditional, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Why bother studying abroad? It’s a fair question. If you have any desire to study abroad, hopefully, some reasons come to mind. It could be learning a new language, enjoying the new food and culture, meeting new people, gaining opportunities to benefit your...
by Jedidiah L. | May 22, 2024 | Asia, Engineering, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
It has been about a month since I first arrived in Tokyo, and it somehow feels both shorter than that with how fast it is going and longer with how accustomed I’ve already gotten to life here. Since I chose to go with an affiliate program, we were driven to our...
by Anabelle B. | Apr 18, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
It’s been about 2 and a half weeks since I arrived in Tokyo, Japan and the process of settling in has gone very smoothly! I came here through an affiliate program called CISAbroad, and they’ve been very helpful every step of the way. Between finding...
by Ava N. | Apr 18, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Exchange, Semester, _
Embarking on a study abroad journey is an exhilarating experience, but the overwhelming task of packing can cast a shadow on the excitement. As someone who tends to overpack, my preparation for a semester-long exchange in Seoul, South Korea taught me valuable lessons...
by Owen M. | Apr 18, 2024 | Asia, Engineering, Honors College, Non-traditional, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Getting accustomed to life in South Korea while studying abroad has been quite an adventure. Not only do Korea and the United States have vastly different cultures, but adapting to a country where English isn’t the primary language comes with its own set of...
by Matthew C | Jan 5, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
What trip to India is complete without visiting the Taj Mahal? After a full semester of classes in Bangalore, my classmates and I took a group trip to North India. We explored the sights of Jaipur, Agra, and Delhi in a whirlwind five days, seeing, Nahargarh Fort, the...
by Matthew C | Jan 5, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Semester, UA-Affiliate
I spent the majority of 2023 as an expat, living in Madrid, Spain and Bangalore, India. Both locations were thrilling, full of vivid experiences, meaningful friendships, and memories I will cherish for years to come. Now, one month after returning stateside for the...
by Matthew C | Jan 5, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
I remember moving from Washington to Louisiana when I was 11 years old. Though we never left the U.S., transitioning from the Pacific Northwest to the Deep South was like moving to a different country. We still spoke English, but the cultural language was foreign....
by Morgan K | Sep 20, 2023 | Africa, Asia, Commerce & Business, Europe, Non-traditional, Semester, UA-Affiliate
Now that I’ve had time to fully reflect on my time abroad and recover from my study abroad “hangover” I can say that my experiences were more than anything I could’ve ever hoped for. I went on the Spring voyage of Semester at Sea this past semester and really went...
by Joshua Martin | Sep 20, 2023 | Asia, Engineering, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
by Connor H. | Sep 15, 2023 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Our study abroad group in front of James Bond Island in the Phang Nga Bay Hey, it’s me again. If you didn’t catch my last entry, I’m Connor Higgins (far right in the photo above), and I’m writing about my experience in the UA In Thailand: International Economics...
by Connor H. | Sep 15, 2023 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Our study abroad group (seated) with Dr. Paan Jindapon (back row, second from left) and our hosts for “Thailand 101” at Bangkok University. Hello! My name is Connor Higgins. I’m seated on the far right in the photo above. I’m a rising junior...