Bama Bloggers Abroad
Last Few Days in Russia
Prior to arriving to Russia, I tried not to have too many expectations. My main goal was to enjoy the experience of being here in Russia. Obviously things are different here and that took an...
It is finally my turn
Growing up, one of the only college experiences that I heard from my parents was their study abroad trip. They still, to this day, refer to it as the best months of their lives. There was never a...
Coming home
I was surprised with how sad I felt leaving Nicaragua. While the heat sometimes felt unbearable, there was something about the people and the culture there that made it all worth it. When I said...
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...
Italy!
Since I was little, I always imagined that I would live in the United States for my entire life. I know the language, the culture, and the best vacation destinations. I always envisioned the extent...
That One Time I Lived in France
So here I am sitting on my bedroom floor, back in Mississippi after a long day of traveling. My suitcase is not unpacked, my parents are trying desperately to keep their excitement of me being home...
A World Beyond All Imagination
In the year 2000, I got bit by the travel bug. Seeing as I am 21 years old, you may be looking at the year and thinking it was a typo. No typo here, that year is accurate. At age 5, I decided I was...
The Weeks Fly By
I'm entering my third week in Italy, and I can't believe how quickly the time has flown! My roommate pointed out today that we really have done so much in so little time. Last week, we visited a...
Realizations Following My Return
Returning home was something that I did not think much about while I was abroad because I was constantly on the move and experiencing new things. Sure, I would talk to family and friends from home...
Post Barcelona
Thoughts and Feelings - When it was time to leave my host family, I woke up early and started off the morning packing then waited as the house came alive. I remember my host brother, Alex, coming in...
Ethiopians
While studying abroad in Ethiopia I was able to meet hundreds of Ethiopians as my team and I set up medical clinics in the locals' villages. The people were very welcoming and happy to see us. Some...
Eating Abroad
Eating Abroad One of the things you'll find that you'll miss the most from home about studying abroad will probably be eating your favorite foods. This problem also happens when you come back to...
Back Home
Now that I have been back home for a bit my journeys in Nicaragua seem more distant. While there I hiked volcanoes, searched for monkeys, and communicated in another language for two weeks. Here in...
Following the HERD
When I first heard about the opportunity to go to Haiti along side the painstakingly funny Lisa Mckinney and some of the brightest minds the Culver House Business School had to offer, I thought that...
Nicaragua: A Vibrant Landscape
Actually getting to Nicaragua proved to be much bigger hurdle than anticipated. Despite checking and re-checking flight times and prices, and waking up at approximately 1:00 a.m., I managed to miss...
The Middle of the Chapter: China
Whenever I told anyone I was going to China, I always got a similar reaction from everyone, “why there?” Everyone assumes that China is not a place to travel to, that it’s dirty and the people don’t...
Dinner Table Conversation
We are now coming to the end of our time here in Tours, France and I cannot believe what an incredible time we have had here this past month. We have been challenged by school, amazed by sights, and...
Preparing for Ethiopia
Preparing for Ethiopia was a little different than preparing for any other study abroad trip. Common items such as toilet paper, tissues, soap, etc. are not readily available in Africa. Therefore,...
Pre-Departure To Nicaragua
I decided that I wanted to come to Nicaragua because it was the perfect opportunity to get valuable medical experience, to be immersed in latino culture, and to travel to a beautiful place. I start...
Spain Pre-Departure
I wanted to study abroad because I have only ever been in the United States and have never been submerged in a different culture before. The key things that I considered when choosing a study abroad...
Back Home
Now that I have made it back home all safe and sound, I am very appreciative of the the air conditioning here but sad that I had to leave such wonderful country. It was so nice to leave my...
This is not goodbye, it’s see you later.
I have been home a month now. People always told me it would be just as difficult to adjust upon return home as it was upon arrival in a new place. Maybe for some that holds true, but I think I was...
How to Prepare for Air Travel
What was supposed to happen: getting on board a flight from Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina, having an hour layover there, and then getting on board an overnight flight to Dublin Ireland. What...
A Portrait of the Traveler as a Young Man
By more than a few strokes of luck and some financial assistance, I have found myself waiting to leave on a flight to Dublin tomorrow. UA's program in Ireland ended up as my choice for study abroad...
I’m in London… WHAT!?
Is this real life? I think I might be dreaming. *pinch*.. Nope this is real... Before: Excitement and fear brewed inside me in the days leading up to my departure. People would ask, "Are you...
Two weeks in Ghana
It's been nearly two weeks since I left for my trip to Elmina, Ghana. Since then I've learned a lot about the culture and the people here! Every day I see exciting new things, and I always learn...
Touring Spain One City at a Time
Spain is a treasure trove full of historical sites. These places make the historical sites of the United States look like babies. Through out this month long study abroad trip, we have been able to...
142 Days, and that’s all, Folks.
I’ll start off this blog post with a cliché but oh-so-true sentence: Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I saw so many amazing places, met so many amazing...
Home is Where the Heart Is
After having a chance to unwind from a very fun, yet very tiring month, I've realized several things. While I've had the chance to study abroad previously, I think that this experience...
Exploring Granada, Nicaragua
I have been in Granada, Nicaragua for a couple of days and I love it! At times I might complain about the heat (okay probably more often than I’m willing to admit), but the kindness and compassion...
Returning from Nicaragua
My first thoughts as I got off the plane in Huston after spending two weeks in Nicaragua were nothing as poignant as I might have expected. As the plane hit the tarmac there was an initial sense of...
22 de Mayo 2016 Now I am sitting on the plane. I just watch Mexico disappear as the plane flew away. I am really going to miss Mexico. I do miss my family and I am ready to see them, but Mexico will...
Takeaways From A Third Trip To Haiti
Coming back from Haiti is always a very tough transition to go back into a developed country after spending a week in a developing one. The lack of basic amenities and conveniences in Haiti makes it...
En Granada
After a week in Granada, it feels like a second home. Aside for the heat and lack of running water in the morning, I could stay here indefinitely. It took a while to get used to the lack of air...
Preparing to Return from Paris
This month has been the fastest, longest, most amazing month of my life. Studying abroad in Paris has given me so opportunities, experiences and friendships that will last a lifetime. Looking back...
Academics in Italy
Before this trip abroad I studied Italian for four years in high school and for three semesters at Alabama. Italian has always come to me pretty easily so I didn't expect it to be any different...
From the Top of a Mountain
Think of the flattest place on the Earth. Well, that’s where I live, Illinois. Smack dab in the center of the Midwest. Being the second most mountainous country in Europe, Spain is full of beautiful...
Don’t Blink
As I lay in my bed the night before I leave to go back home, the only thing that fills my head are the unforgettable memories of the last 6 months. One of the reasons why I chose to go to London is...
Last Day in London
As I sit here in the London Heathrow Airport reflecting on the past six months that I have spent here, I am overcome with emotions. The past half year flew by so quickly, it actually feels like I...
3 Reasons to Travel to Eastern Europe
I have recently returned from a 2 week study abroad trip based in Warsaw, Poland and Prague, Czech Republic. This life changing experience exceeded my expectations by a long shot. I was a little...
Back in the States and Final Thoughts!
So after a whirlwind of 21 days, I made it back to my stomping grounds in Charlotte, NC. I am absolutely exhausted, and completely satisfied. The trip was better than I could of ever imagined....
Bienvenidos a Granada, Nicaragua
Granada, Nicaragua looks gorgeous in any pictures I have googled, but I am still unsure what to expect when I get there. I know the buildings are painted in bright colors and air conditioning is...
Bye Bye Paris
My trip has unfortunately come to an end. I honestly do not know if I was ready to leave or not. Leaving Paris was so bittersweet. I really and truly missed my family, but the things I learned while...
Weekend Getaway in Barcelona
One great thing about studying abroad in Europe is that there are so many amazing places to visit that are all just a short plane or train ride away. Last weekend we took a weekend vacation to...
Academics Abroad in Paris
While there are so many fun experiences that we've had in Paris, academics are of course a big part of our experience. Although our classes are in Paris, we are taught by UA professors. Each morning...
Arriving in Ghana
Today is my first day in Ghana! After over 24 hours of plane rides and layovers and 3 flights, we made it. I'm excited to spend the next month in Elmina, and to explore Accra and other towns and...
Getting a Little Taste of History
As an engineering student, history class was never really my thing. Reading page after page of a textbook about the Renaissance was such a chore. But learning history from a piece of paper verses...
My first week in Mexico!
May 8th 2016 When I first arrived to Mexico, I was excited and a little bit nervous. This was my first time out of the country and I was without my family, but I was lucky enough to be there...
On to the Next One
I'm writing this as we prepare for liftoff, headed to Berlin from Dublin. Our stay in Dublin was everything I could have hoped. My one worry, the perpetual threat of cold rain, turned out to be a...
Auf Wiedersehen
And just like that, the trip was over. I traveled back to the States with a number of my fellow travelers, which eased the separation anxiety a little. Arriving home, my main concern was staying...