But Really…Berlin?

When people discover that I’m studying abroad this summer, the first question I’m asked every single time is “Where?” Once I say “Berlin,” I get a variety of responses that mostly include confusion and misunderstanding. For most...

Chips or Fries?

It’s been over a month now since I returned from my study abroad adventure in Ireland, and yet it feels like I was just there yesterday. School has started up again here in Tuscaloosa, but in my mind I’m still lying in fields of green in the Irish...

Pre-Departure

“Study abroad!” I have heard these two simple words from so many people over the past few years that I have finally decided, the summer after my junior year, to study abroad. I have always been interested, but it has taken me this long to finally decide to...

Norway, Glorious Norway!

Our group in Oslo: from the left- John, Ross, Alex, Kendall, Myself and Lara During one weekend of my study abroad, 10 of us took a group trip to Norway! To be honest, I didn’t know much about Norway prior to the trip except that it’s cold and has fjords,...

Starting a new year

Now that I am back on campus, I keep looking back at all the memories I share with my new friends. I remember how every day was a new adventure and every moment with friends is a time to be treasured. My time in Ireland re-awoke my love for learning and appetite for...

Post-Trip

Finally home! I’m definitely going to miss being abroad, but MAN am I ready for some home cooking… It was raining like crazy when I arrived in Atlanta, and for a moment I thought that I was back in Ireland! Thankfully, this was not the case, and I knew that as...

In Dublin/Istanbul

          Dublin: Dublin is great. The people are great, and they definitely know how to cook potatoes! I also love how easy it is to get around here! The public transportation is magnificent and I am definitely going to miss it when I’m...

America, Home of the Free

Though my time in Cambodia was nearing its end I was experiencing mixed emotions about leaving the country that had been my home for the last 10 days. It was hot in Cambodia – my sweat glands had become little orifices of Niagara Falls. I wanted to see my...

Ranking the Cities

I’ve been home for a little bit now, and the subsequent question after “How was it?” is usually “Which place was your favorite?”  I want to give a definitive ranking of my favorite cities, based on my experiences, from my time in Europe:...

The Palio di Siena

The Palio di Siena is a horse race that is held twice each year, on July 2 and August 16, in Siena, Italy. Anyone traveling abroad during those two dates in Europe should make an effort go see this thrilling and culturally rich tradition. Here’s my attempt at...

Back to Bell Buckle

      My transition back to the US was much easier than I expected. Especially considering the fact that I live in a small town named Bell Buckle, Tennessee (it is as it sounds), and had just spent over 3 weeks in some of the most populous and advanced...

Why We Should All Be Tourists

Something I’ve noticed in my day-to-day life, but particularly during my time in England, is the negative attitude regarding tourists that, personally, I feel is a little uncalled for. I have friends who won’t take photographs on vacations because they don’t want to...

A MARBLE-OUS ADVENTURE!

Wow, it’s been almost a week since we’ve been back in the States and I’m still in shock with how well the trip went. It is honestly such a good feeling to come back from a three week trip that we’ve been dreaming about for a year now, knowing that it went WAY better...

Coming Back Stateside

After a long 5 weeks, and over 34 hours of travel time, I’m finally back in Tuscaloosa. The end of my trip was spent with going-away dinners, presentations, exam prep, and all the last minute souvenir shopping that was expected so this is my first chance to...