The End of the Chapter: China

Right when I landed back in the US, I still couldn’t get my head wrapped around how I’ve been away for a month. I knew that once I got home I’d be behind in my friend’s life and my families, even though we tried to talk every day, it was limited due to the internet I...

Learning to Problem Solve

Studying abroad is one of the best learning experiences for a student out there. It can teach a person so many different things. Not just about the world at large, but about themselves as well. One of the biggest skills I have noticed that many students learn, is...

Anxiety Abroad

“I’m going to China.” I have been repeating this mantra in my mind since I decided to go on this trip back in November. Frankly, I don’t even know how I ended up here. I was simply walking out of my Chinese 101 class when my teacher said, “You should go to China.” My...

Sad Seoul

안녕 Sitting in a coffee shop in the middle of Seoul and finally realizing that in exactly a month, I will be back in Alabama, is filling me with nothing but sadness. It seems impossible that four months have already passed of my study abroad experience, and it is now...

One day until China!

When I entered school at The University of Alabama, I wanted to study abroad more than anything. But after finding out that with the nursing curriculum couldn’t be transferred abroad, I gave up that dream. Then I found out about the Medical Abroad trips and knew...

Before I Board

Traveling. It’s something I’ve always loved. Jesus. He’s someone I’ve always loved. Nursing. It’s something I’ve come to love. Now let’s throw those three things into a pot and mix them all together. During the fall semester...

Learning How to Speak Again

“Ano….Sumimasen, ichi onegai shimasu”. I said confidently to the staff member behind the counter. I knew she would understand what I was saying. A little cavemanish, but definitely passable, or so I thought. Oh no, she was giving me that look, that look I had seen so...

Heart of Seoul

  안녕 – (anyong) – hello/goodbye In less than two months, I will be studying abroad at Yonsei University, one of the top 3 universities in Seoul, South Korea. Honestly, the preparation that came with trying to study abroad was enough to distract me from the actual...

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...

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...

We’ve Got it Good

Upon arriving in Cambodia it was apparent what poverty the country lives in. On the way to the hotel from the airport I could see people on the side of the road doing business out of there homes; keep in mind we did not arrive in Cambodia until about 1 o’clock...

Forever in My Heart :)

It has been a month since I have left East Asia, and I must admit that I miss that place so much! This trip has been such a life changing experience for me in so many different ways. To be more specific, weeks have gone by and I’m still reminiscing on the time I spent...

Getting there

I had never been out of the country before, and of all of the trips I choose to take, I choose the one that requires 23 hours of airtime. I was extremely excited to visit Cambodia, to learn from their culture, and to provide medical aid to its people. The last time I...

Only in China

When you travel to another country you realize how different, and sometimes really strange, other cultures are compared to your own. While I was abroad I saw and experienced things that I would only see in China. So here is a composed list of all the things I would...

New Perspectives

I’ve been home from my trip to Cambodia for a couple weeks now, but it feels like ages. It was such a long journey, and I was exhausted when I reached home, both physically and emotionally. Being an introverted person, I am glad to be home. I LOVED my team and all the...

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Living in Japan has been an amazing experience in more ways than one. Although there is little time left before I return home, there is still so much I want to do before leaving. I want to climb Mt. Fuji, visit Kyoto, eat some of Jiro’s sushi – the list goes on. But,...

Adopted For a Day!

On my study abroad trip to China my group had the opportunity to be “adopted” by different Chinese families for a day! The mom picked us up at the University and drove us to their home. We were greeted with big smiles and a lot of tea. Although I am not...