Pre Departure Decision

I never truly considered studying abroad until September of last semester. I remember talking to one of my friends one night and him telling me that he was going to Spain in the spring for the whole semester. I told him that I thought it was so cool and he looked at...
What a week!

What a week!

I’ve always felt most empowered when I’ve pushed myself to go outside of my comfort zone, so I am constantly seeking out new things to try and new places to go. I spoke in front of crowds when I was scared of public speaking. I moved across the country to go to...
Pre-Departure Post

Pre-Departure Post

Hi, my name is Sammy Hiebsch, and I am a sophomore at Alabama. I am studying abroad in Milan, Italy this semester. I considered many different places when trying to decide where to study abroad but Milan just called to me for some reason. I have been to Europe many...

“I live here”

Moving to another country seems like an insurmountable task, and for me, it has not been a walk in the park. Despite the fact that I have spent over half a year preparing, and have had support from my parents, UA study abroad advisor, program chairwoman, and abroad...
Arriving in Roma!

Arriving in Roma!

Never in my life had I sat in a plane for over 10 hours, let alone flown across an ocean. Surprisingly, I did not expect to be nervous when arriving in a new country despite being unfamiliar with its language and culture. At first, when descending into Rome, I was...
Food in Italy

Food in Italy

Italian food is very prevalent in American culture with Italian classics such as pasta and pizza filling tables all over the US. I have got several longing requests from friends and family back home to describe the food, so I thought I would write about it here. I...
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...
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...