Bama Bloggers Abroad
Living in London
Living in the United Kingdom has been eye opening I would say. I have seen, eaten, and tried so many new things. From visiting Hampton Court, to exploring the Victoria-Albert Museum, attending so...
End of an Era
When I found out I was going to Leicester, I was skeptical because I had never heard of it before. I thought that it was a 'nobody' town, especially since no one else I knew had heard of it. Turns...
From Tourist to Tour Guide: Sharing Rome
The past three months have flown by in a blur, and the realization that I return home in a month is slowly beginning to set in. Studying abroad in Europe has presented me with one amazing...
Spanish Immersion
In the weeks leading up to my semester abroad, I had a a lot of worries running through my mind, but above all, I was nervous about "culture shock." It seemed as though I couldn't escape that term,...
Leicester, England
I knew coming in that Leicester was known for its diversity, but it wasn't until I became more comfortable that I would realize just how special and interesting this city was. When I had locked in...
French The Language of Confusion.
Upon my arrival to Bordeaux, France I had the same reaction to the French language that I believe most Americans hold, “French is beautiful” and “ The French Language must be Fun”. My mind was...
March Madness
The month of March has been one full of travel! I’ve been somewhere new each week! I went to Belfast with AIFS (included in my program fee) for the first weekend of March. When we arrived in...
My Trip to Bali
During my time in Australia, I had the opportunity to travel to Bali, Indonesia. It was just a little over a 5 hour flight from Sydney. I was excited because it was going to be my first time...
Coming Home from Costa Rica
After two months abroad in Costa Rica, I am finally back home in the states. When I saw my family for the first time in the airport, I was definitely happy to see them, but it was also bittersweet....
Foreign Places Known
This picture was taken in May 2016, on my first trip to Mexico. 🙂 The truth is, I did not choose to study abroad this semester – studying abroad chose me. I did not choose to return to school for a...
My Thoughts Before Leaving Abroad to Australia
Sydney, Australia is a world recognized city with lots of things to do. Before embarking on this new adventure, I had my share of feelings of doubts and nervousness. Of course I was beyond excited...
Living the (Ice) Dream in Vienna
I believe there are a finite amount of times in a person’s life when they are doing something and are suddenly struck by the overwhelming significance of their ongoing experience. Sometimes it is...
Second Chance in Mexico
When I arrived to Mexico, I immediately became overwhelmed with good emotions. I shed a few tears and expressed boundless gratitude for where I am because it is not often that you get to return to...
My heart is here!
Wow! I can not believe I have been in England over a month already. The time is really flying by as I stay busy with school and traveling on the weekends. I still love all my housemates and look...
Greetings from Costa Rica
I've been in Costa Rica for a whole month now and honestly, it has been amazing. I can't say enough good things about my experience here. I am staying in a very rural area at a research facility run...
Off to Australia
I chose to study abroad in Australia. Why Australia? All my friends asked numerous times… Well…. I just wanted to. I have always had an immense calling to towards the Australian culture, beaches,...
Buongiorno, Torino!
Just about a week to go and then I'll be in the air headed for northern Italy! It all seems so surreal right now that I'm not sure I'll really believe it until we touch down in Turin and I check in...
Going to Ghana
Hello! My name is Kelly Muston. I am a Master of Social Work student. I will be completing an international internship in Ghana in the Spring of 2019. I would like to say that I have some amazing...
On The Shoulders of Giants
“This grave contains all that was Mortal of a Young English Poet Who on his Death Bed, in the Bitterness of his Heart at the Malicious Power of his Enemies Desired these Words to be engraven on his...
Planning – Thoughts After a Week in Florence
I am a planner. My new roommates identified that about me before I had even been on Italian soil for a full 48 hours. In our short time in Florence, I had already made multiple searches on Yelp and...
Dia duit!
My name is Blake, and I'm studying abroad at the University of Limerick in Ireland. For those that are wondering, "dia duit" is Gaelic for "God be with you," which is how people say "hello" in...
Intentionally Lost Luggage: Leaving Anxieties at the Airport
As a child growing up in the ever-expanding suburbs outside Chicago, Europe seemed more like a fantasy than an actual place I might someday visit. Aside from the semi-frequent road trips to...
Preparing for Prague
My name is Emily and I am a second semester junior at UA. I am a double major in Communicative Disorders and Psychology and I will be studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic for this upcoming...
Hello Wembley
My name is Johnathan Anderson and I'm studying abroad in Leicester, England! (LES-TAH) I've been in town for just about a week now and feel like everything is beginning to feel a bit normal. Classes...
ありがとう、日本！
I’ve wanted to study abroad in Japan since I was in middle school, so of course I was very excited when I first got there. I found that month by month my excitement slowly became replaced by comfort...
Hello, England!
I am Anna Catherine and am studying abroad in Leicester (LES-TAH) this Spring 2019 semester. I have met many study abroad students, which has been the biggest blessing. They are all so kind, and I...
The Beginning
Hello, My name is DyQwan L. and I will be writing about my feelings on my pre-departure to France. This is my first time out of country and I am very nervous. I find myself daydreaming of the...
Looking Forward to Costa Rica
In just a few days, I will be departing to Costa Rica to spend two months taking classes there. I’ve traveled some before, but I have never been anywhere like Costa Rica. It will be my first time to...
Getting Ready to Take Off
In a week I will be boarding a plane that will take me to London, England. This is a trip whose mental preparation has lasted about a year and physical preparation about half of that. However,...
Why I chose Barcelona, Spain as my study abroad destination
I have known that I wanted to study abroad in Spain since I began taking Spanish classes during my freshman year of high school. My Spanish teacher constantly talked about how beautiful it was and...
The Final Night in Russia
My last day in Russia was a lot of things. It was stressful, it was fun, it was full of nostalgia, but most of all, it was meaningful. I was responsible all semester and left every last bit...
Looking Forward to London
Where to start.... I dance, I sing, and I act. Some would call me a triple threat. But I usually just say I’m a student of the University of Alabama double majoring in Dance and Theatre. My main...
On Studying Japanese
"Why Japanese?" is the question most people will pelt you with when you tell them you're learning the language. Some people will go the softer route and ask, "Oh, so what led you to that?" Others...
Reflecting on Thailand
As the semester comes to a close and the temperature continues to drop, I constantly find my mind wandering away from my studies and thinking about better, warmer days. Specifically the days during...
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone
More often than not, in my experience discussing traveling alone, I endure apprehensive warnings of caution and horror stories. There is a stigma around the idea of being alone. Human nature is...
Pre-Departure Journal Entry (Late)
I’m very excited for London. I’ve never been to London, not even to the UK, although I got close when I visited Dublin. I think the most exposure I’ve gotten to British lifestyle is through pop...
Almost Nearly Getting Close to Counting Down
25,969 minutes left until I go home. which sounds like a lot until you also take into effect that I've been in London for...
Abroad from Abroad
Being Hungarian, a trip to Hungary had always naturally been a dream of mine. With my great-grandmother on my mom’s side being born there, I definitely felt a connection to the country, but I had...
Getting Ready for 16 Weeks in London!
My name is Candace, I am 24 years old, and in the Graduate Social Work program. I have always wanted to study abroad but the opportunity never came up. It was not until orientation that I was able...
Africa Awaits
"A ship is always safe at shore, but that's not what it's built for." -Albert Einstein I have officially committed to my Spring 2019 field placement in Ghana, West Africa. You would not even begin...
The Uji Chapters
Of all the unread books on my shelf back home, none is more intimidating than Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji. The translation I own, the 1926 translation by Arthur Waley, lands at over a 1000...
Boots and Blazers: Russian Style and How It Has Changed Me
Russian fashion sense is truly a thing to bear witness to. Before coming to Saint Petersburg, I had only heard that they “dress a bit nicer” than we do in America. I had no idea what I was in for....
Sending Love from My Happy Place
Hi, my name is Lauren Phillips and for the past 3 months I’ve been studying abroad at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan. These last few months have gone by so quickly, and I’ve been having so...
Study Abroad Part 3
This study abroad trip was definitely one for the books. I made friends that will last a lifetime and not to mention the new culture that I experienced. I was in a culture very different from the...
The HIGHEST HIGHS and the lowest lows
There is no doubt that there are highs and lows when studying abroad. One minute, you can be having an amazing conversation with a Ghanaian, the next, someone may be trying to talk to you and they...
And off she went, to change the world
The day before I left to start this amazing journey, I felt as if my heart would explode with all of these emotions that I couldn’t express. I was excited to experience a different culture, I was...
Zambia Has My Heart
I miss Africa. I miss the people. I miss the culture. I miss the genuine happiness that everyone carried. It has now been 3 months since my trip to Zambia and I miss it more and more with each day...
Packing for success
Packing up and moving for 5 months is not an easy feat. Especially when you have to add baggage weight limitations and the ability to take everything you have on the go. Then you add...
UA in Oxford: Upon Return
It has been one month since I arrived back home from Oxford! I catch myself missing my sweet little English spots nearly every day. Looking back on my adventures, I can now say with full assurance...
“Welcome back! Welcome home!”
After almost a whole day of flying, I was just hours away from landing in Accra. During different times of the flight I came across others who asked me questions out of curiosity. Where are you...