by Shifa J. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Commerce & Business, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
I am now on my 5th day of this amazing Study Abroad adventure through Australia and New Zealand, currently in Cairns. We have so much left to do in the city but we definitely did our big one yesterday. Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef wasn’t just the highlight of...
by Shifa J. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Commerce & Business, Engineering, Europe, Faculty-Led, Semester, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
Just an hour drive out of Sydney, Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected 80-acre bushland space where native animals like kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, and of course, koalas roam freely and safely. Many of the animals here are rescued, endangered, or...
by Andrew W. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
After an incredible month in Germany and traveling in Europe, I am finally back home in the US and able to reflect on my time abroad. Following the three and a half weeks I studied German in Freiburg, I took a train through the Alps to Milan, Italy, where I spent a...
by Lillian J. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Hello again everyone! Last time I checked in, I updated you all on my time in the cities of Konstanz and Strasbourg during my summer abroad in Germany. Well, I’m finally back home in Alabama, and I’d thought I’d use this last blog post to talk about my last couple of...
by Faith G. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer
I don’t think I have been as afraid as I am now to travel. This summer, I am spending about three weeks in France. I have never been too far from my hometown, much less out of the country. When I first decided to try studying abroad I didn’t understand the blood,...
by Nicole J. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Australia/New Zealand, Europe, Faculty-Led, Honors College, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
I entered this summer with one goal in mind: to see parts of the world I have never seen before and have fun while doing it. Both New Zealand and Italy were absolute whirlwinds, I can confidently say that I do not regret either study abroad experience. The two were...
by Caitlin S. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
5/25: Before Departure Getting ready to go abroad has completely taken over my mind, my Pinterest boards, and my TikTok feed. I’ve probably watched over a hundred detailed videos on “what I wish I packed for study abroad” and “underrated travel essentials every...
by Olivia B. | Jul 22, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
I left Benin on June 29, and have had time to reflect on the incredible experiences I had. The UA in Benin program was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, especially because it was a faculty-led program in our professor’s hometown. Having a local guide us through Benin,...
by Nicole J. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
Come my second weekend in Italy, I had planned two day trips: Saturday in Venice and Sunday in Rome. The only issue: I would be completely alone in Rome. For Venice, I had booked my trip through Smart Trips and had plans to get dinner with some friends, but Rome was...
by Austen W. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer
Arriving in the United Kingdom from the United States has been nothing short of transformative. Stepping into Oxford felt like entering a different world—one steeped in centuries of tradition, stunning architecture, and a vibrant academic culture. Our purpose here is...
by Faith G. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer
I have been having a lot of fun in my summer study abroad program in France. I knew I would be okay once I got over the hurdle of starting the trip. There will never be a time in my life that nerves will never overwhelm me when trying new things. Leaving home was hard...
by Caitlin S. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer
7/21: Home for a Week Coming back home felt familiar at first—English signs, the foods I know, the usual routines I had missed. But after a little while, I started noticing subtle things that felt unexpectedly different and new. For example, I found myself getting...
by Caitlin S. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer
6/15: Half-Way Done Taking classes abroad has been a refreshing shift from what I’m used to at the University of Alabama. Everything feels more casual in the best way—professors go by their first names, which felt strange at first but quickly became natural. The...
by Alex F. | Jul 22, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Seoul, South Korea, you have been an unforgettable chapter in my life. As I say goodbye, my heart is filled with gratitude for the kindness and warmth of the people I met here. From the friendly strangers who offered directions with a smile, to the friends who shared...
by Emily A. | Jul 17, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Australia/New Zealand, Semester, UA-Affiliate
When many Americans (including myself) imagine Australia, we tend to conjure up images of kangaroos, the Outback, and most prominently, beach culture. The movies and television we encounter in the U.S. heavily feature Bondi Beach and Byron Bay, places where sun-soaked...
by Suzanna B. | Jul 17, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Let’s just say, I do not have the best track record when it comes to packing lightly. I have always been that one person in my family that has to be prepared for every minor problem that may arise. However, I realize that while living abroad overpacking will...
by Kevin H. | Jul 17, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer
Being in Ireland has given me appreciation for many things I take for granted in the U.S. Although, I loved my time in Europe, the lack of air conditioning at night was killing me. The biggest thing I missed from America, however, was the food. Don’t get me wrong,...
by Jack R. | Jul 17, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Honors College, Summer
Shakespeare is woven into the tapestry of life in Oxford, England. From the Radcliffe Camera library of the Bodleian (which is designed in the style of Shakespeare’s Globe’s) to the stained glass scenes from Shakespeare’s comedies and tragedies in Worcester College,...
by Alexandria R. | Jul 16, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer
I am so pumped!!!…but also nervous. How crazy is it that I get to go and create memories that will last a lifetime while also learning and doing something that I love???? I think the nerves come from hoping that I’m not forgetting something, or hoping that...
by Katie M. | Jul 16, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, South America, Summer
Before studying abroad, you are told to expect culture shock. It is an inevitable part of traveling. As I settled into my first two weeks in Colombia, I found that adapting to a new culture has two faces: disorientation and wonderment. First, disorientation. The...
