by Gracie P. | Aug 11, 2026 | Commerce & Business, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
There were many moments where I wanted nothing more than being where I am right now: sitting on a plane headed back to Dr. Pepper, Chick-fil-A, and Target (just to name a few). Now here I am doing exactly that wishing I could have just one more day in Portugal. ...
by Rebekah J. | Aug 4, 2026 | Arts & Sciences, Central America, Faculty-Led, Non-traditional, Summer
I have been looking forward to my trip to Belize since October of last year, but no amount of time could have prepared me for just how much I’d fall in love with the country, its people, and especially its diverse wildlife. Our first stop of two was quite rustic...
by Ashley H. | Jul 28, 2026 | Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, South America, Summer
Hello! My name is Ashley Heuer, and I’m preparing for my International Business study abroad trip to South America! As both a business major and Spanish minor, I was SO excited about this opportunity, because it combines two of my passions. It has been on my bucket...
by Ellyssa A. | Jul 23, 2026 | Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
When you live in a city for four months, it’s easy to feel like you have all the time in the world to explore it. There’s no rush or pressure because it’s right there in front of you. Ironically, that’s exactly why so many people end up not really experiencing...
by Itzel N. | Jul 22, 2026 | Commerce & Business, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer
When I first arrived in Dubrovnik, Croatia, I was overfilled with nervousness and excitement to meet my classmates that I was going to experience this trip with. It was a long travel day with connecting flights, and I was happy to finally be at my first...
by Ellyssa A. | Jul 20, 2026 | Africa, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
I thought that just going abroad in general would be out of my comfort zone, but then I went on a trip that really pushed me. This trip was Morocco. Leading up to the trip and during it I was filled with many unknowns and discomforts at times. Now looking back, it was...
by Olivia Cooper | Jul 14, 2026 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Honors College, Summer
Before I start sharing my stories of these past few days, I want to explain why I chose to study abroad and the UK in particular. My name is Olivia, and I am an upcoming Junior, studying Public Health at the University of Alabama. I have always been interested in the...
by Zachary M. | Jul 9, 2026 | Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, South America
UA in Peru students pose outside of the Sacsayhuaman fortress in Cusco, Peru Imagine this scenario: You are a visitor in a city you have never been to, in a new country and continent thousands of miles away from home. As you emerge from a cozy alleyway lined with the...
by Cassidy G. | Jul 9, 2026 | Africa, Engineering, Europe, Internship, Summer, _
July marks the beginning of my third and final month abroad this summer. Over the past two months, I’ve traveled to France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal, and Morocco, with plans to add Italy and Hungary before the month is over. The chance to...
by Ava T. | Jul 8, 2026 | Africa, Asia, Europe, Human Environmental Sciences, Semester, UA-Affiliate
Have you ever really wanted to do something but found that actually doing it is terrifying? If so, you aren’t alone. Ever since I was a freshman in high school I have wanted to study abroad, specifically through Semester at Sea. In December of 2024, this idea of...
by Tyler D. | Jul 8, 2026 | Arts & Sciences, Central America, Faculty-Led, Summer
Returning home from Belize has been an eye-opening experience. Immediately missed were the warm sunshine, constant sea breeze, and most of all the friends I made there. As I went on a fishing trip with my family, I even missed the Belizean heat that I had grown...
by Ella B. | Jul 6, 2026 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Outside of the tours built into the program, my classmates and I spend many hours wandering around the city and exploring on our own. Before the trip, I spent a lot of time researching Rome and watching TikToks for ideas about what to do, where to eat, and which...
by Craig K. | Jun 18, 2026 | Europe, Faculty-Led, Honors College, Summer, _
The Cologne Cathedral (pictured above) is home to massive stained glass windows, some of which date back to the 1200’s. This is my third blog on my honors faculty-led study abroad in Germany. If you are interested in hearing about my expectations before-hand and...
by Mia L. | Jun 9, 2026 | Africa, Faculty-Led, Nursing, Summer
Deciding to study abroad isn’t something that happens in a single moment. For me, it was a slow build—a mix of curiosity, timing, opportunity, and a desire to stretch myself beyond the familiar. Now that the countdown to departure is getting real, I’ve been reflecting...
by Sofia B. | Jun 9, 2026 | Europe, UA-Affiliate, _
While I’m happy to be back home in the comfort of my own bed, I miss the liveliness and adventures of Portugal. When I first arrived back at the airport in the United States, everything felt familiar, yet different at the same time. I already miss the slower pace of...
by Kayln C. | Feb 2, 2026 | Education, Internship, Semester, South America, UA-Affiliate
Nothing can quite capture the feeling of stepping off a plane in a foreign country and realizing this unfamiliar place is about to be your home. To be honest with you, I did almost zero research before landing in Brazil, let alone São Paulo, because deciding to study...
by Abbye W. | Feb 2, 2026 | Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
My new friends posing with my lost luggage! Being from the Midwest, traveling to arrive in my study abroad city was a nightmare. With various flight delays, missing connections, and rerouting, issues are bound to arise. For me, the aircraft for my connection from...
by Jones T. | Jan 28, 2026 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Exchange, Semester, _
It only took a few weeks of settling in while abroad to decide I was ready to travel outside of my host city. Sitting only an hour train ride away is the small town of Stratford-Upon-Avon. This town, most well known as the birthplace of Shakespeare, bolsters a wide...
by Tyler L. | Jan 23, 2026 | Commerce & Business, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
It has been a month since I returned to the US from my semester abroad in Budapest, Hungary and I have been reflecting on how this unique opportunity has changed me. I realize that I’ve now fundamentally changed from the version of myself who departed for Europe five...
by Emmett D. | Jan 23, 2026 | Commerce & Business, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Hey all! I am Emmett and I am studying in Barcelona, so far it’s been amazing! I went to Madrid the second weekend and loved it! Choosing to study abroad was something I had thought about for years since my mom studied in Rome for a year, but it became a real...
