Bama Bloggers Abroad
Conclusion to a Well-Spent Summer
The ride to Shanghai Pudong International Airport happened on a restless Friday night when the city was lit by looming skyscrapers all around, a testament to how such a city can come more alive at...
The Journey to the East
Touchdown. And boom. I’ve landed in Shanghai. I am never quite good with first impressions because I never quite expect something to be a first. The city existed before my arrival and it will still...
First Day in Guayaquil
Today I woke up in Guayaquil, Ecuador! One of my biggest anxieties about traveling to a foreign country was the language barrier. While trying to communicate has been a challenge, I have enjoyed...
Ecuador, Here I Come!
As a civil engineering student at the University of Alabama, I am intrigued by sustainability and design. I have a passion for knowledge, travel, growth, community, and service. Thus, I eagerly...
Ups and Downs in Cairns
In between classes about Australian law, I have had the opportunity to see some of the country. This past weekend, a group of us went to Cairns to dive at the Great Barrier Reef. This trip was...
Another Adventure
When I was younger, I used to look at the walls in my families houses, lined with photographs, canvas’, books and memories of the places they had been. The remnants of their memories filled me with...
France for Real?
The days leading up to my departure honestly haven’t felt real. I go to work, then class, and then I go back home to my dog and repeat the whole process the next day. It really doesn’t seem like on...
First Days in Spain: the Excitement, Fear, and Difficulty Surrounding My Initial Days Abroad
When I originally left for my study abroad trip at the beginning of June, I was ecstatic. I had been counting down the minutes until I would be in Madrid, and was unable to contain my excitement as...
I Studied Abroad and I Met Katie Couric!
When I embarked on this study abroad adventure I didn't really know what the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity was. Well now that I have been, I can tell you it is pretty much the...
Moving Forward
I'm now two weeks removed from Leicester and now that I've torn through my pictures for the 7th or 8th time, I'm starting to really appreciate even more the last 6 months and what they have done for...
Excursions
During my six weeks abroad, I had the opportunity to travel to Barcelona, Paris, and Amsterdam. Each city had a different twist, which made them very special and unique. Barcelona was my absolute...
Advice for Future Students
Three things I wish I knew before I traveled to Barcelona Barcelona is the most beautiful and exhilarating city I have ever traveled to. Barcelona has so much to offer such as the city center,...
Pre-Departure Post: UA in Asia
My sophomore year of college (I am a grad student now) I studied abroad for a semester in Torino, Italy. I did not ever imagine that I would be given the opportunity to study abroad again, however...
Before the Trip – Off to South Africa
This Faculty-Led Study Abroad program was my first abroad experience. Before I set off for Johannesburg, I was very nervous. The airport, the flight, customs, etc... it all frightened me! At the...
Reflections on my Study Abroad Program Post-Return to the US
It has been slightly over a month since my return to America, and it has been an optimal amount of time to gather my thoughts on the summer semester. While in Ireland, it felt like I lived most of...
A Synopsis of My Spectacular Experiences While Abroad in Ireland
During my time in Ireland, the experience was coined by lots of good food, late nights, and climbing mountains. We began in Dublin, Ireland and became acquainted with the city on a hop-on-hop-off...
On My Way: How I Overcame My Fear Of Flying
I’ve only flown twice in my entire life on very brief flights, and I was incredibly irritable and nervous for both trips. So, I decided that I’d use this trip to Holland as an opportunity to to get...
Visiting Florence, Do These 10 Things:
Florence is a lively city, with a rich history and vibrant environment. As a self-proclaimed “local” who has lived in Florence for a little over two months I can assure you that around every corner...
Travel Diary: To Italy and Beyond
As I make my way back to the US I am very bittersweet but utterly grateful that I studied abroad in Florence because of the ease and affordability of traveling on weekends. Disclaimer, my affiliate...
Trip Of A Lifetime!
Edit: Because of accommodation wifi, this post did not upload when it was meant to and is coming in very late. I am so sorry! It’s July 15th, and we are just over halfway through with the UA@Oxford...
A Week of Innovation, Adventure, and Exploration in Portugal
This week has been all about preparation as my team and I dedicated countless hours to perfect our product idea for the expo on Friday at the European Innovation Academy. We showcased our app,...
Biking in Italy
On my Study Abroad in Italy, I love being a tourist—riding a gondola in Venice, buying pasta-themed socks at the souvenir shop, taking that photo of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Going into my trip,...
Taking a Journey Across the Pond
July 2nd was the day that we began the trip that would change our lives! Although a late night flight was in the works out of Hartsfield Jackson Airport, I couldn't wait to embark on this new trip....
Visiting Pompeii on our Free Day
On my Study Abroad in Italy, I was psyched with how many cities we got to visit: Venice, Padua, Verona, Milan, Ravenna, Florence, Bologna, Pisa, Rome, Pompeii. Most of these cities were on the...
Making the Most of Our Free Day in Venice
Part of the reason that my Study Abroad experience in Italy has been so amazing is the number of cities I’ve been able to visit (10 in total!). Because we move around so much, the challenge becomes...
Traveling while abroad with UA in Oxford
High Table Dinners at Worcester College- Oxford
The Oxford Campus and Community
Post #3: The Best Summer. Planning my Return Trip Already.
After being in Japan for about two whole months, I can safely say I will forever remember this extraordinary trip abroad. Not only did I meet so many great people and make new life-long friends, but...
Favorite Things in Kyoto, Japan
Now that I have been living in Japan for an entire month, I feel that I have had the proper amount of time to adjust to everyday life and take in everything. I still have about two weeks of my...
UA in Denmark: Unit Operations Lab – A Balance Between Work and Fun
My name is Lela, and I am a rising senior majoring in chemical engineering and mathematics. This July (2023), I completed the Unit Operations Lab in Copenhagen, Denmark. This is widely considered...
UA in Ireland: Chemical Engineering – Phenomenal People and Places!
My name is Lela, and I am a rising senior studying chemical engineering and mathematics at UA. Throughout June 2023, I was at University College Dublin (UCD) in Ireland as a part of the UA in...
Week 1 in Paradise
It's hard to believe we landed on Sint Maarten exactly a week ago today because of how quickly it felt like home. After only seven days, it feels like I've lived here for months already. After a...
Preparing for Ireland
Preparing for studying abroad can be a daunting task, but it helps to know what to buy and pack. I chose to study abroad in Ireland on a 2.5 week faculty-led course and spend the rest of the month...
Back to Regularly Scheduled Programming…
I have been home for two months now. That is a crazy thing to say. Two months have come and gone in the blink of an eye. Truthfully, I am not sure I even had a phase where I eased back into reality....
Au Revoir to The Friendly Island and The Most Amazing Experience
Well, this is it. My final days in Sint Maarten and my final blog commemorating my once-in-a-lifetime experience. As my time on The Friendly Island draws near, I can't help but reflect on what an...
Halfway Through The Most Amazing Experience
I have no other words for my study experience thus far other than grateful and complete happiness. Part of my study abroad included the celebration of Memorial Day, a day all American’s take time to...
Time Flies ✈️
It’s hard to believe yet another week has gone by. When I first arrived, it felt like I had been here forever, but since the first week, time has flown. I can’t believe we only have six full days...
Work/Life Balance in Paradise
Our first week on the island was all about getting acclimated, both to our new environment and our classes. This week, as we have gotten settled in, things have ramped up quite a bit. We’ve started...
Eliminate Packing Stress
As you start preparing to study abroad, it can be a daunting task to think about all of the things that you are going to experience. You will have to tackle many problems head-on and in a foreign...
Trips from Sorrento, Italy
While studying abroad in southern Italy, I have had the privilege of taking many different day and weekend trips around the country and around Europe as a whole. The transportation system present in...
Finally Home…
I'm going to miss the food, though I got back home last night. I have to say, it feels good to sleep in my bed and play my guitar again. The best part about being home is being with my family and...
Traveling
Preparing to travel had to be the scariest part of Study Abroad for me. Figuring out how much to pack, should I bring all of these supplies, how many different pairs of shoes do I need? It was a...
Advice for Studying Abroad in Guatemala
Pre-departure Stress Before my study abroad trip to Guatemala I was very nervous about a lot of things. I felt like I knew no one who was going, I had no idea what to pack, and I was so scared that...
Ending My Trip Abroad in Guatemala!
Midterms Halfway through week two in Guatemala we had midterms for our two classes we have been taking while abroad. Our classes are Politics of Developing Nations and Politics of Latin American...
Life After Colombia: Adjusting to Life with New Perspectives
Adjusting to my old life in the United States after six weeks in Colombia has involved reverse culture shock, confusion surrounding languages, and missing my time abroad. I knew that reverse culture...
My Whirlwind of a Time in Medellín: Stunning and Mountainous!
My favorite part of my six weeks in Colombia was my trip to Medellín. Medellín is a beautiful city in the mountains of western Colombia. Because the elevation is so high, the temperature is much...
How to navigate the Madrid Airport
When you arrive at the Madrid airport, you will go through a section that takes you directly to customs. At customs, you answer the standard questions about your stay. After going through customs,...
All the things to see and do in Madrid
Madrid has so many things to do, it's hard to really know what there is to do in Madrid and what is worth doing. In my time here in Madrid, I have compiled a list of museums, parks, markets, stores,...
How to Improve your Study Abroad Experience
My biggest recommendations to make your study abroad experience better Pack really light. I'm not saying don't go without clothing, but be very prudent about what you pack. I over-packed a few...