Let me warn you, my study abroad experience is not the typical one, but it is just that much more interesting! I am a junior at The University of Alabama studying advertising and sales. I am currently somewhere between Thailand and Vietnam, as I am participating on the spring 2025 voyage of Semester at Sea.
We disembarked from Bangkok, Thailand on January 6th. While I am currently only writing this a week later, boy have I learned a lot about people, the ocean, various countries, and much more. Let me give you a bit of a run down about my program specifically. Semester at Sea is an affiliate of The University of Alabama, in which their partner school is Colorado State University. There are about 530 students on the ship along with professors, lifelong learners, and the most amazing crew. We all take 12 credit hours on the ship, and when we are in port we don’t have classes! This schedule is awesome because it allows us to see the world without academic pressures interrupting our experience.
Now I know you are all wondering: Are you sea sick? Yes. But its okay! The medical staff on board is amazing with getting all students the appropriate medication and tips to resolve any of that. It is also just very windy right now!
Here are a few tips I have for future SASers or study abroad students so far:
- Have an open mind. You are about to meet so many new people from many different backgrounds, take the time to hear out their stories! You can learn a lot by just listening to others.
- Disconnect from your phone. I know this is a hard one, and luckily I was forced to do this being on the ocean. I only have about 20 minutes of wifi a day which has benefited my sleep schedule, my happiness, my friendships, and much more.
- Be strategic with what you pack. I had a limited number of bags I could bring on the ship, which was a blessing in disguise. If you have a roomate, coordinate what equipment, books, technology, and items you will bring. You can also boy almost anything in your country!
That is just an introduction to the crazy yet amazing semester I am having and hopefully you will too! I am so grateful for this opportunity to travel the world and I hope you get the opportunity one day as well. Catch you next time!
