by John Brady B. | Oct 14, 2025 | Asia, _
Writing this from the airport in Istanbul, I am currently very much looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep when I finally settle into our hotel outside of Kuala Lumpur a day from now. Air travel is rarely pleasant for anyone, and I especially have...
by Alexis H. | Oct 14, 2025 | Africa, Asia, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate
Since I’m studying abroad on Semester at Sea, my “host location” is a bit unconventional, the MV World Odyssey, sailing in the middle of the ocean. What drew me to this program, and what I’ve come to love most, is the incredible sense of community on board. When I...
by Willow M. | Oct 14, 2025 | Asia, Comm & Info Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Hi there! My name is Willow and I’m going on the UA in South Korea trip to study advertising and public relations strategies internationally! I’m currently 18 days out from flying to Incheon Airport, and I won’t lie, I’m a little nervous....
by Alexis H. | Oct 14, 2025 | Africa, Asia, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate
I had known since my freshman year of high school that I wanted to go on Semester at Sea, and I was beyond excited for my junior year of college to finally take on this adventure. Still, deciding to study abroad during the year when none of my friends were going felt...
by Sameen H. | Oct 14, 2025 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
I chose to study abroad because of the inspiration from my sister and the motivation from my parents. When my older sister, Sarah, was an undergraduate student at Mississippi State University she took part in a study abroad program to various European countries...
by Mollie M. | Oct 10, 2025 | Africa, Asia, Europe, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
I am currently wrapping up my study abroad experience. 10 countries, 100+ days, and many memories and stories I am taking home. Above all, I have learned so much about myself and my lifestyle that I would love to share with you all. Whether you take this with you on...
by Ryan P. | Sep 17, 2025 | Asia, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
For spring break, I went on an astronomy and computer science-based study trip with my school, AUP, to Tokyo, Japan. This trip was filled with it all, we got to explore Tokyo and went to 3 other cities: Kyoto, Himeji, and Sayo. Sayo is a super tiny town that even...
by Anna H. | Sep 17, 2025 | Asia, Semester, _
Truthfully, I haven’t been dealing with a lot of culture shock. It turns out that researching and studying a country for three years will prepare you for the cultural differences and challenges you have to face. Who knew? But there are some things that even...
by Avery T. | Aug 4, 2025 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Honors College, Summer, _
Vietnam is a tropical paradise with an array of creepy crawly creatures. During a tour to the famous Mekong Delta, I had the opportunity to handle a beautiful python. We also took a stroll through a honeybee sanctuary as well as an alligator farm. We tasted authentic,...
by Kaya H. | Jul 23, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Faculty-Led, Honors College, Non-traditional, Summer, _
Traveling from the United States to Vietnam was no easy feat. Serving as my first international flight experience, the two-day commute with multiple layovers truly tested my resilience and patience. But all of this stress was relieved the second I landed in Hanoi,...
by Dan L. | Jul 22, 2025 | Asia, Engineering, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
Now that the semester is wrapping up, I’ve had some time to reflect on my time in Korea and how it compares to other places I’ve visited. During these four months, I also traveled to China and Japan, which gave me useful context to think about what Korea does well and...
by Willow M. | Jul 22, 2025 | Asia, Comm & Info Sciences, Faculty-Led, _
Hi there, it’s Willow, one month post-Korea! I expected that there would be some unexpected culture shocks when returning to America, but these are my top 5 shocks over the past month: Tipping culture: In South Korea, tipping is not normal because service...
by Avery T. | Jul 22, 2025 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Honors College, _
One of the biggest attractions of traveling abroad to Vietnam is the diverse cuisine of the region. I initially was excited to experience all of the different foods, but I also knew that my palate would never be the same after four weeks of eating like the Vietnamese....
by Tyler S. | Jul 22, 2025 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Summer, UA-Affiliate, _
Today, 19 June 2025, marks my 20th day in Tokyo, Japan—and the end of the first part of this incredible adventure. Before I left the United States, people often told me that studying abroad would change me and broaden my worldview. At the time, I thought that was an...
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 Dan L. | Jul 2, 2025 | Asia, Engineering, Semester, Summer, UA-Affiliate
Now that we are midway through the semester, I’ve settled into a rhythm and have a better understanding of how the academic system works here. It feels very different from what I’m used to at Alabama. Most classes do not include regular homework or smaller...
by Dan L. | Jul 2, 2025 | Asia, Engineering, Semester, UA-Affiliate
I landed in Seoul completely exhausted and ready for a real bed after the long flight from New York. The roughly 12-hour time difference made it tough to adjust at first, and those first few days felt like a blur. But as I started to settle in, I felt grateful that I...
by Anna H. | Jun 27, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Summer, _
The first month is the most fun I ever had in my life. The second is when I began to hate the country I’m in. The third is when I realized I left my support system behind. And the fourth is when everything I was preached during pre-departure got put to the test....
by Danea C. | Jun 23, 2025 | Asia, Engineering, Faculty-Led, _
We are coming up to our last destination of our Vietnam trip, Ho Chi Minh City. It was known as Saigon until it was renamed to honor the first President of the United Vietnam, Ho Chine Minh. Ho Chi Minh, I would say, gave me the most overall knowledge on not only the...
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...
