by Danea C. | Jun 23, 2025 | Asia, Engineering, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
We have been in Vietnam for a week now. Just long enough where you truly start to get adjusted to everything happening around you. We started off in Hanoi, and now we are visiting the beautiful rice fields and steep hills of the city of Sapa and its surrounding native...
by Danea C. | Jun 23, 2025 | Asia, Engineering, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
I think when going to a new country, you realize that there will be differences, but you can’t truly know what they are until you get there. In my case, I didn’t realize that motorbikes were prevalent in Vietnam until one almost literally hit me on my...
by Julius M. | Jun 23, 2025 | Commerce & Business, Europe, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
I’ve now been in Seville, Spain, for two weeks, and I can say it’s very different than what I expected. The culture here is rich and deep, and the history goes all the way back to the 15th century. The city itself is beautiful, with so many monuments to see. I’ve...
by Julius M. | Jun 23, 2025 | Commerce & Business, Europe, UA-Affiliate, _
I finished my classes 3 days ago, and now I’m preparing to take my very long flight back home. Right now, I feel extremely excited to be heading back because I really miss being able to communicate easily and naturally with everyone around me. Living in Seville has...
by Taj J. | Jun 23, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
Now that I’ve spent a few weeks settling into life in Seville, I decided to take a closer look at an ordinary Monday to see what still surprises me and what’s starting to feel more familiar. Mondays here carry a rhythm that I’m beginning to understand: the quiet,...
by Amelia W. | Jun 23, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Hi, I’m Amelia from New Orleans, I am preparing for my study abroad adventure in Benin, Africa. As a student in the foreign languages and literature program, I’ve always been drawn to francophone cultures. Growing up surrounded by several francophone communities made...
by Saphia H. | Jun 23, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
I landed at the airport around noon in Paris, France and took a bus to Tours, France to meet my host family after landing. I was tired and super nervous to meet them. Meeting them eased some of my worries a bit, and the country is so beautiful. I cant wait to go see...
by Saphia H. | Jun 23, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, _
After spending a month in Tours, France, I have had numerous interesting experiences. The culture shock has worn off, and I have adjusted to life here. Classes were intensive, and my French has improved a lot since I’ve been here. The Language and Culture Study...
by Olivia B. | Jun 23, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
When I signed up for UA in Benin I was very nervous, knowing little about Benin and throwing myself into this adventure alone. I had never been away from home for such a long time, and had never traveled somewhere so unfamiliar. However, I was still very excited! I...
by Natalie F. | Jan 7, 2025 | Comm & Info Sciences, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Back home and feeling a little bit of reverse culture shock: not having to tackle waiters to get the check, not knowing how or what to recycle, not using cash and coins. It’s been just a week, and I can feel my language skills slipping even though I’m still consuming...
by Annabelle B. | Jan 7, 2025 | Europe, Honors College, Human Environmental Sciences, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Thinking of Studying Abroad? Here Are My Top Tips! Studying abroad is one of the most exciting, life-changing adventures you can embark on. It’s not just about academics, it’s about discovering new cultures, meeting amazing people, and stepping out of your...
by Tasha B. | Jan 6, 2025 | Africa, Faculty-Led, Semester, Social Work, _
I’m excited and nervous. It has been a lifelong dream of mine to study abroad, but life got in the way and prevented me from fulfilling my dreams. With my daughter being an adult and a college student herself, I thought it was a perfect time for me to have this...
by Hana F. | Jan 6, 2025 | Africa, Asia, Commerce & Business, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate
Embarking on Semester at Sea is singlehandedly the best decision I have made in my entire life. Ever since I was in middle school I knew I wanted to participate in the program and my dream has finally come true. I have just returned from Thailand, where the ship...
by Hana F. | Jan 6, 2025 | Africa, Commerce & Business, Semester, UA-Affiliate
During my time on Semester at Sea, I was able to visit Ghana for a few days. Our ship, the MV World Odyssey, ported in Tema, Ghana for three days and Takoradi, Ghana, for three days in October. My time in Ghana was very enriching and allowed me to fully immerse myself...
by Ethan T. | Jan 6, 2025 | Commerce & Business, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
My study abroad opportunity was not only my first study abroad, but also my first time ever leaving the United States. I had so many questions about what to bring and what to prepare for, but it is very easy to remember what the best piece of advice I received was....
by Alyssa W. | Dec 20, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
“Americans are so talkative and friendly—people here don’t just chat with everyone they meet”. This was a comment I got on the train to London at 4 a.m., after spending the past hour talking to someone from the area about everything from economics to music. It was a...
by Alyssa W. | Dec 18, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Everywhere has a signature food: New York pizza, Wisconsin cheese curds, Kentucky fried chicken. When traveling, we imagine taking advantage of the famous restaurants, and schedule time to sample Chicago deep dish from Giordanos or sourdough bread from a San Fransisco...
by Alyssa W. | Dec 18, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
I am a chronic overpacker. There’s no getting around it. I always find myself leaving home with a bag bursting at the seams, hoping desperately I don’t have to open it and somehow manage to achieve the miracle of zipping it shut a second time. Unfortunately, this is a...
by Emma D. | Dec 18, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
If you have been on the Internet for any length of time, you have no doubt experienced a sharp divide between European and American users. One can often find the two groups arguing about food, stereotypes, tourism, and most often and most divisively; politics. No...
by Ella Davis | Dec 17, 2024 | Commerce & Business, Europe, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
As my fall semester comes to an end, all I can think about is my unforgettable trip to Europe—a month-long adventure that I now realize I took for granted. The people I met, the food I tasted, and the countless memories I made linger in my mind. I often reflect on the...
