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 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 Alex F. | Dec 10, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Exchange, Semester, UA-Affiliate
Now that I have been in Seoul for a month, I can say how truly prepared I was for my time abroad. I would say I was prepared in the sense of paperwork and cultural expectations of Korea. I was not prepared for the language barrier and the weather. Even though I...
by Alex F. | Dec 10, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
While you’re abroad, try to explore cities beyond your university’s location. You can gain a deeper understanding of a country by experiencing its different regions, rather than just staying in one place. My university is in Seoul, South Korea, but I made a...
by Jedidiah L. | Dec 10, 2024 | Asia, Engineering, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
Before studying abroad, I had never taken a language class, even back in middle and high school. It was actually something I regretted, and one of the reasons I wanted to study somewhere that English wasn’t the main language, so I chose Japan. I was fortunate...
by Jedidiah L. | Dec 10, 2024 | Asia, Engineering, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
During orientation, we were told about what we might experience not just while abroad, but also when we get back. They talked about reverse culture shock, and how the initial excitement of returning home can sometimes be followed by sadness. Though I’m sure it...
by Conner W. | Dec 9, 2024 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
My name is Conner Wood. I studied microeconomics in Thailand this summer. But in order to get to Thailand, I first had to travel all the way there. Sounds easy in concept, but the travel was far from easy. As a first time international flier/traveler and someone who...
by Conner W. | Dec 9, 2024 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Walking out of Suvarnabhumi Airport was surreal. The smells, the heat, and the chaos of traffic were slightly overwhelming at first. Funnily enough though, all these things felt very normal by the time we left Bangkok. The van ride from the airport to our hotel...
by Conner W. | Dec 9, 2024 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
For the second half of our trip we went to Chiang Mai in the northern part of Thailand. We took a sleeper train from Bangkok in order to get there. I had never been on a sleeper train, so it was a cool experience. We slept on a bunk bed in our own little room. It was...
by Madison F. | Dec 6, 2024 | All Year, Arts & Sciences, Asia, Exchange, Law
When I decided to study abroad, I knew I wanted to go all in. I didn’t want my experience to feel like a vacation but a complete immersion into a different culture. So, without a second thought, I committed to a full year in an exchange program in Seoul. I chose...
by Ava N. | Nov 27, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Exchange, Semester, _
My study abroad experience taught me a lot, but there is one lesson that stands out: Do NOT overpack! Becoming familiar with the South Korean Postal Service… This blog post is a call back to my first post published before my exchange to South Korea titled...
by Clay B. | Nov 21, 2024 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer
Hey there, treasured reader! My name is Clay Boeninger, and I am a rising third-year student at the University of Alabama majoring in economics and finance and minoring in Spanish and liberal arts through the Blount Scholars Program. I am also a member of the second...
by Clay B. | Nov 21, 2024 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Welcome back, treasured reader! Glad to have you here with us yet again. If it’s your first time reading this blog, here’s a short intro: My name is Clay Boeninger, and I am a rising third-year student at the University of Alabama majoring in economics and finance...
by Clay B. | Nov 20, 2024 | Asia, Commerce & Business, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Hello once again, treasured reader! I hope this blog post finds you well and in good spirits. Final quick intro, here we go: My name is Clay Boeninger, a rising third-year student at the University of Alabama studying economics and finance and minoring in Spanish and...
by Anabelle B. | Jul 29, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
I’ve now been living in Tokyo, Japan for a little over 3 months and can definitely say that the homesickness is kicking in. As this is my second consecutive semester studying abroad, I knew to expect these feelings and am doing my best to deal with them. There...
by Ava N. | Jul 16, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Exchange, Semester, _
With both of my hands grasped tightly around the rusty metal rail, I gazed down upon the rocks scattered far across the coastline and the waves that engulfed them. A small island floated in the distance. The sun’s light caused the ocean to sparkle with the confidence...
by Madison C. | Jun 27, 2024 | Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Engineering, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
After some time in Australia, we headed to our first stop in New Zealand, Queenstown! Leading up to this part of the trip, I wasn’t actually that excited. I was dreading being in the cold weather and was worried I did not pack right for the cold. But once we got to...
by Madison C. | Jun 27, 2024 | Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Engineering, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Sydney!! Sydney was by far my favorite part of the Australia leg of the trip. The Opera house was even more amazing in person and the architecture and structure of it all was fascinating. The harbor itself was beautiful with the bridge, the Sydney skyline, and the...
by Madison C. | Jun 27, 2024 | Asia, Engineering, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
The first leg of my trip began in Melbourne, Australia. I was lucky to have overall smooth sailing with all of my flights and my baggage made it intact. A full wrap around neck pillow saved me on the 14-hour flights from Houston, Texas to Auckland, New Zealand and I...
by Hana F. | Jun 27, 2024 | Africa, Asia, Commerce & Business, Europe, Non-traditional, Semester, UA-Affiliate, _
As I am 95 days out from embarking on my Semester at Sea Fall voyage, I wanted to take some time to reflect on all the preparation I have done and still have to do. Semester at Sea has been a dream of mine since I was in middle school, but I never thought I...
