Bama Bloggers Abroad
Pre-Departure
"Study abroad!" I have heard these two simple words from so many people over the past few years that I have finally decided, the summer after my junior year, to study abroad. I have always been...
62 Days, 27 Cities, 10 Countries
After 9 weeks spent living out of one small backpack, wearing the same outfits over and over, sleeping in bunks with 12 other people, and spending no more than 3 nights in one place, I thought I...
Norway, Glorious Norway!
Our group in Oslo: from the left- John, Ross, Alex, Kendall, Myself and Lara During one weekend of my study abroad, 10 of us took a group trip to Norway! To be honest, I didn't know much about...
Tours of Tours
I guess to start off I should include a lil' intro about myself... I'm a junior this year double majoring in French and International Relations (roll tide). I'm from Alabama and have lived there for...
Let The Count Down Begin
A few days, that is all I have until I board a plane and embark on a new journey to call Florence, Italy my home for the next four months. Now, I sit in front of my suitcase trying to figure...
Starting a new year
Now that I am back on campus, I keep looking back at all the memories I share with my new friends. I remember how every day was a new adventure and every moment with friends is a time to be...
Post-Trip
Finally home! I’m definitely going to miss being abroad, but MAN am I ready for some home cooking... It was raining like crazy when I arrived in Atlanta, and for a moment I thought that I was back...
In Dublin/Istanbul
Dublin: Dublin is great. The people are great, and they definitely know how to cook potatoes! I also love how easy it is to get around here! The public...
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...
Excursion to London
I have spend the past two weekends i have been in Europe in different places. After being in Brussels for less than a week, my group and i took off for London. We rode the train for less than three...
Ranking the Cities
I've been home for a little bit now, and the subsequent question after "How was it?" is usually "Which place was your favorite?" I want to give a definitive ranking of my favorite cities, based on...
In the Midle of São Paulo
If you can learn nothing else from this blog post, know that Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a massive, expansive city. I am far from a city boy, but I cannot imagine anyone being able to gaze at the...
The Palio di Siena
The Palio di Siena is a horse race that is held twice each year, on July 2 and August 16, in Siena, Italy. Anyone traveling abroad during those two dates in Europe should make an effort go see this...
Back to Bell Buckle
My transition back to the US was much easier than I expected. Especially considering the fact that I live in a small town named Bell Buckle, Tennessee (it is as it sounds), and...
Why We Should All Be Tourists
Something I’ve noticed in my day-to-day life, but particularly during my time in England, is the negative attitude regarding tourists that, personally, I feel is a little uncalled for. I have...
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...
A bittersweet goodbye
Its very hard to believe that my trip here in Brussels, Belgium is over. I never thought that i would become so close to the people that i came on this trip with. We were able to conquer the many...
Coming Back Stateside
After a long 5 weeks, and over 34 hours of travel time, I'm finally back in Tuscaloosa. The end of my trip was spent with going-away dinners, presentations, exam prep, and all the last minute...
A Weekend in Paris
Paris, a city known for its romantic atmosphere, stunning architecture, extravagant churches, extensive art collections, aaaaaand rude locals. When traveling to cities in foreign countries, I travel...
Amsterdam: Boats and Bicycles
I posted this blog post on my personal blog, at the beginning of my study abroad, and I forgot to share it here. So this post is a little late, but here it is! It's only been two days of travel and...
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;...
Delayed Final Reflections
If I were to consider the entire collective experience of being in Santiago, Valparaiso, and Easter Island, it would emerge as a kaleidoscope of images and emotions, a tumultuous attempt at the...
Home Sweet Home, Two Months Later
I am almost positive that it is impossible to return home, after any time of travel, to not experience even an inkling of reverse culture shock. I spent two and a half weeks of my summer in Germany,...
How I Found Myself in the City of Dreaming Spires
Everybody has their own reasons for why they choose to study abroad. For some, it's the least expensive way to travel and also get summer credits, for others they just want to try something new....
Europe was a once in a Lifetime experience!
I went to Brussels expecting a lot, and it didn't disappoint. I met friends that I'll cherish for a lifetime and that I'll be hanging out with at UA, and even though I had a great time, "all good...
Coming Home
Home. It's a strange word when you've been gone from it for even as short a time as 5 weeks. Sometimes it's a good feeling to be home, sometimes it's not. More often than not, it's bittersweet....
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...
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...
Time for Some Good Turkish Tomfoolery!
May 15th, 2015: Goodbye Dublin! We all woke up early since we had to be in the lobby at 7:45. I am a huge procrastinator when it comes to packing so I did not get a whole lot of sleep at all....
Surreal Summer
Country sides covered in castles, gelato and churros before an afternoon siesta, and cheering for Madrid’s prized soccer team sounds like a dream, but for me it was a wonderful reality. A summer in...
The London Life
"In people's eyes, in the swing, tramp, and trudge; in the bellow and the uproar; the carriages, motor cars, omnibuses, vans, sandwich men shuffling and swinging; brass bands; barrel organs; in the...
Taking Ireland by Storm
May 9th, 2015 Today was our first day trip! It was such a fun day, but it came with a price. We had to be in the lobby at 6 in the morning. From the lobby, we went to the Heuston train...
I fell in love Down Under
Strap your ears and eyes in tightly, because they're going for a ride in this post. Two months ago, I boarded a plane from Birmingham, Alabama, bound for Gold Coast, Australia. The flight time was...
Irish Memories
I just wanted to use this first blog to introduce what my trip was all about and add a couple details about our first days abroad. For almost the entire month of May, I went on a faculty-led study...
Taking on the Tower of London
Wrapping up our last two weeks in Oxford has been an amazingly hectic journey. From class assignments to souvenir shopping for friends, it's been hard to find the time to even relax. But it's been...
Studying in Paris
Studying at the Paris American Academy has been the main part of my trip. I am taking a class called Design Process, in which I find inspiration, design a full collection, and create a portfolio of...
Home already?
Although I am glad to be home, I am already missing being abroad. It is strange not being with the people that you have spent weeks with abroad and not having to pay for water at restaurants...
Time To Set Sail…
As I sit here on my laptop in the middle of my parents kitchen I begin to reflect on my life starting at the young age of 11. I was brought to Tuscaloosa in the 4th grade when my dad received a job...
First Impressions
After an amazing month and a half in France (and then a visit to London), I finally made it to Denmark! This is the first time I have been in a Scandinavian country and also the furthest north I...
NOMA: The number one restaurant in the world
Noma was ranked the number one restaurant in the world 4 of the last 6 years. And I. Ate. There. How crazy is that?! When my professors said they were planning to try and get a reservation...
Galway International Arts Festival
We had the privilege of being in Galway during the International Arts Festival. People from around the world travel to this annual festival. This festival lasts an entire week and is full of amazing...
Exploring Canterbury and Dover
Ending a long week of studying in Oxford, this past weekend we traveled to Penshurst Place, Canterbury, then Dover! On Friday morning we took our bus to Penshurst Place, the ancestral home of the...
“To be, or not to be”
We decided to take a visit to the wonderful district of Helsingør in the greater Copenhagen area. Helsingør is home to the very old and very famous Kronborg Castle. Kronborg Castle served as the...
End of trip reflection
It is hard to believe that my travels in Europe are over. It does not seem that long ago that I was packing my bags and trying to figure out what I actually needed to bring. Over the past five weeks...
And Paris is My Hometown
"America is my country and Paris is my hometown." -Gertrude Stein Dorthy had it right. There's no place like home. When I first arrived at the airport in the US, still hours and a second flight from...
City of Dreams
It’s been 2 days since I’ve been home, and I’m already trying to find ways to get myself back to the UK. It’s nice to be back home and see my family and friends, who I missed dearly, but the past...
Until Next Time…. (A summary of my study abroad experience)
I have been back at home for about a month now. When I first arrived back into the United States, I was very happy to see all of my family and friends. I really missed them all and could not wait to...
Final Thoughts
Sitting here at my kitchen table after 23 hours of traveling makes the last month of my life seems like a dream. It’s hard for me to think about how the trip I’ve spent so many months planning and...
Why I’m not the “Restless Heart” Type
We all have that one friend--likely even more. I'm talking about that friend that is constantly posting about his/her latest travel adventure. Maybe you know folks that will tell you all about...
Europe is amazing!!
I arrived in Europe with a pretty sour feeling. I was dreadfully tired from not sleeping for 28 hours and my first plane ride was pretty long and tiring, and customs took so long to get through, so...