Bama Bloggers Abroad

Korean Kafe’s!

Cafe's are very popular in South Korea. I felt like I couldn't turn a corner without seeing at least five of them. As a coffee lover I was very excited about this aspect of South Korea. However, I...

“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...

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...

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...

2 Days Out

2 Days Out

In college, anything is possible. Considering it's almost been a year since I started the process of Study Abroad, I'm blown away by how fast time has passed. It has always been a dream of mine to...

Vacationing During a Virtual Internship

Vacationing During a Virtual Internship

At this point in my virtual internship abroad I've come to realize there are a myriad of pros and cons to having your international internship relegated to a 13 inch laptop screen. The biggest and...

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...

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...

Why Madrid?

Why Madrid?

I’ve wanted to study abroad ever since I graduated high school. I knew I wanted to go to a Spanish-speaking country to further my language proficiency, but besides that, I didn’t have much else...

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...

So Many Museums, So Little Time! :Museum Recommendations in Seoul

So Many Museums, So Little Time! :Museum Recommendations in Seoul

While I was studying abroad, I went to quite a few museums. Seoul is a place that has rich culture, history, and art. In this blog, I will discuss my experience at the museums I visited in Seoul. Museums are nice on a day with less than ideal weather and are usually free or very affordable. If you don’t know which museums to go to first, hopefully this blog will help!
National Palace Museum
Total Time Spent: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Price: Free
Three Floors
This is the first museum that I visited while in Seoul. It is located next to the famous Gyeongbokgung palace. There are five grand Palaces of Seoul. This museum highlights the history of these palaces using diagrams and showing many artifacts. From the royal courts attire to musical instruments and means of transportation, this museum has plenty of things to see and read about. I would personally recommend to rent out the audio tour. It gives you ample information about each section of the museum. The equipment is only 1,000 won (close to a dollar). After you get done exploring the museum, you can go to the cozy cafe and grab a coffee or tea. My favorite part of the museum was the section with the Joseon period’s most famous inventions. The replication of the water clock. This is one of my favorite museums and I highly recommend going if you are interested in Korean history.

The National Museum of Korea
Total time Spent: 5 hours
Three floors
Requires reservation: Free
This museum contains anything you would need to know about traditional Korean culture. This museum has many cafes and restaurants. This is because you will have to take many breaks if you plan on exploring this whole museum. The building itself is spectacular. There is a beautiful man made pond outside the museum and you have an amazing view of Seoul Tower from the building. Additionally, BTS recently performed at this museum. So you can visit the spot they performed by finding stickers on the floor that marked where each member stood. This is a cool thing to see for any KPOP fan. There is additionally a beautiful three story pagoda statue that is located in the lobby of the museum. This is a great place for pictures! There is an exhibit for each period of Korea’s history and an exhibit for Korean calligraphy. On the top floor, there is a world exhibit. There are exhibits for many countries including Egypt, Japan, China, etc. You can find out your name in hieroglyphics or go see a replication of a Japanese tea room. All of these exhibits have so many things to do and see. One thing that I noticed is that this museum contains many ceramics. If you are interested in learning about Korean pottery and ceramics this museum is a must. Additionally, there are many helpful staff and robots waiting to help you find an exhibit or tell you more about Korean culture. While I was exhausted after looking through the whole museum, it was a very enriching experience.

War and Women’s Human Rights Museum
Total Time Spent: 1 hour
Cost: 3,000 won general, 5000 won guided tour
Three floors
This museum was a very somber experience. This museum told the stories of women that were comfort women in Korea during the Japanese occupation. I would highly recommend doing the guided tour because you gain so much more knowledge about the history and the experiences of the women. The Wednesday March is highlighted at this museum. It is very powerful to see women coming together each Wednesday from multiple generations to fight for justice. On the ground floor of the museum there is an exhibit that shows different situations around the world that are currently occurring that are causing harm to women around the world. You can leave a message on a butterfly note pad outside on the message wall. Women from all over the world have left messages encouraging and supporting other women. While this museum is small, its impact is very large. I would highly recommend going to this museum.

Gahoe Folk Art Museum
Total. Time spent: 45 min- 1 hour
2 floors
Price depends on activity
This museum is good for people who like crafts and a hands on approach. The museum itself is quite small. However, the best part of this museum is actually making art yourself. This museum has a few activities. I personally did traditional fan painting. It was a really cool experience to sit around amazing folk art while painting my own traditional fan. I would recommend this museum to anyone who is interested in learning about art and creating it!

Sehwa Art Museum
Total time spent: 45 minutes
1 floor
Price: free
This is a contemporary art museum in a very business centered area. To my understanding, the exhibits change and are never permanent. They all take the common theme of highlighting a characteristic about Seoul. While I was there, many of the exhibits were centered around an environmental issue pertaining to Seoul. One exhibit focused on the Elujiro area of Seoul. This is a more local area of Seoul and it just depicted everyday life. I would recommend this museum to people who like contemporary art and are interes

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...

Getting Ready for London

As my departure date gets closer and closer, I am feeling a rush of excitement and am ready to go abroad. My name is Jacob Limbocker and I just finished my sophomore year at UA and am about to spend...

Preparing for Virtual Study Abroad

Preparing for Virtual Study Abroad

I have always wanted to study abroad and experience life in a different country.  For me, my study abroad experience had to happen during the first three years of college, because for my...

Banking Never Ends… (but these have to)

Banking Never Ends… (but these have to)

Although investment banking and compliance do not end, these posts unfortunately have to! It has been eye opening to see those in the compliance departments in the various countries come together...

Banking & Compliance

Banking & Compliance

My internship happens to be with Maybank, one of the top five banks in Southeast Asia. The company has total assets between 165 billion and 200 billion dollars (saw different numbers quoted), has a...

The Start of Banking in Southeast Asia

The Start of Banking in Southeast Asia

Banking in Southeast Asia sounds fun, doesn't it? Well, how about if I told you it would be virtual! Traveling has always been a passion of mine. Coming to UA, I was hoping I would be able to study...

Cultural Excursions from Home

As a final assignment, each lab group in my course was given a topic about either Denmark, Ireland, or Scotland to present for our class. These topics ranged from European football, the Loch Ness...

A Summer Spent on a Laptop Screen

A Summer Spent on a Laptop Screen

With my final meeting come and gone, I suppose it is now time for me to reflect on the unique experience of an international internship experienced exclusively over ZOOM. In an unprecedented time it...

Why I Choose to Study Abroad in Ireland

I planned to study abroad in Dublin, Ireland through the UA in Ireland: Chemical Engineering program. This opportunity was extremely important to me because I have never left the country and didn't...

Reflections

Reflections

Having been home for a few days now, I have had time to think and reflect about my study abroad experience in Spain. The experiences I have had and the memories I have made have been incredibly...

My Final Week in Copenhagen

My Final Week in Copenhagen

Wow! As I approach my final week in Copenhagen, I am amazed at how quickly my time here has flown bye. It has now been approximately 3 months since I have been living in Denmark. As cliche as it is...

Clocking Out in Chile, Chowing Down in Chicago

Clocking Out in Chile, Chowing Down in Chicago

Greetings again, this time from my new hotel room in Chicago! After 1200+ miles and a full day stopover in Nashville I’ve just clocked out of my first day in the new place and I’m excited to hit the...

There’s No Place Like Rome

There’s No Place Like Rome

July 22nd. 2021 The Pantheon It is crazy to think that I have been here for almost 2 months. Time really has flown by. I remember getting here and wondering if I was going to make friends or how I...

When in Rome…

When in Rome…

I can’t believe I am already over halfway done with my program. So far, My most exciting and culturally immersive experience was Italy's national team winning the euro cup. I went to a big public...

Barcelona So Far

Barcelona So Far

Hi. I'm currently typing this blog post late at night in the bedroom of my shared apartment in the heart of Barcelona, Spain. I've writing this on the 16th of June, and I have been here for almost...

Studying in Copenhagen

Studying in Copenhagen

For the past 3 weeks, I have been apart of a study abroad program called DIS located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It has been such an amazing time so far exploring the city, meeting new people, and of...

UA in Spain

I am doing UA in Spain, and I am doing it online due to COVID, however, it is still the same classes. I get to work on my Spanish with native Spanish speakers, which only increases my comprehension...

Blink and you’ll miss it

Blink and you’ll miss it

Hi again. It's now the 6th of July as I write this on a terrace in Barcelona. Since my last post, I have travelled to Mallorca, Valencia, and Madrid during the weekends while working at my...

Why did I study abroad?

Why did I study abroad?

This summer, I have the opportunity to complete a study abroad requirement via a virtual learning setting. I am working as an intern for Maybank one of the largest banking institutions in the Asian...

How to: Over Engineering Your Future

How to: Over Engineering Your Future

For all the STEM Majors that want to study abroad, here's a blog from someone who isn't from the Business side of campus. At least from my experiences, American culture fantasizes travel. Young...

Ciao Roma!

Ciao Roma!

Studying abroad with something I would have wanted to do since high school. I wanted to experience a new culture and widen my educational horizons. Despite being delayed a year by COVID, I'm...

There’s No Place Like Rome

There’s No Place Like Rome

My Pre-Departure Excitement and Nerves May 24th, 2021 I have known that I wanted to study abroad since I was in high school. I was supposed to study abroad last Summer 2020 in London. Like everyone,...

Fall Semester Coming to Close

Fall Semester Coming to Close

Well, it crept up on me pretty fast, but I’ve just recently returned from my Fall semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland.  Despite the pandemic and other complications that kept my time abroad...

Final Experiences

Final Experiences

The last full weekend of the trip was during Dr. Magleoca’s class, The Water Planet. We had already taken our final for the class, and we departed from the Soltis Center for three days to travel to...

More Experiences in Costa Rica

More Experiences in Costa Rica

The first two weeks of the trip were led by Dr. Mathew Lafevor, who taught Geography of Latin and South America. He spoke spanish, and knew a good deal about the culture and geography of the area....

Arrival

Arrival

I arrived in San Juan, Costa Rica, around 2:30 on January 17th. Only after waiting in the customs line for 45 minutes did I realize that the american man standing behind me, who had been on my...

Coming Home Because of COVID

Coming Home Because of COVID

As everyone else this semester, I was forced to end my exchange early and come home amid the Coronavirus Pandemic. Not only was this very disappointing and sad but it was also a very scary...

The Best Month of my Life: February 2020

The Best Month of my Life: February 2020

I’ll admit, my first month in France was hard. I could speak as much French as the average 3-year-old, and for me, reading French takes the brain power just short of calculus. I knew no one and I...

Welcome to Seoul!

Welcome to Seoul!

After a total of 35 hours spent traveling (most of which I was awake for), I finally touched down in South Korea. This was the moment I had been looking forward to for months, and it was finally...

Navigating Chilean Spanish

Navigating Chilean Spanish

“Sí po, cachai?” Yeah, you know? Had this phrase been said to me in any Spanish class or come up in a conversation before living in Chile I would have stood there dumbfounded and wondered if maybe...

glasgow, you’re fab

glasgow, you’re fab

So we’ve all heard by now how corona virus has affected all of the students on study abroad. The chaos a week before myself and two friends were supposed to be off to Spain and Portugal for our...

buzzing through glasgow

buzzing through glasgow

Glasgow is classified as a UNESCO City of Music which is thrilling. There are always so many shows going on and live music nights out. I have a weakness for spending money on concerts and music so...