Bama Bloggers Abroad
Getting to Ghana
It's finally here! Tomorrow morning I will be leaving for my month long medical mission trip in Elmina, Ghana. At the moment I am a mixture of excitement and a little bit of nerves. Planning this...
Evento Nazionale
The semester is winding down and I can hardly believe it! It seems like yesterday that I was packing up to travel here, four months ago. I have met so many people within these four months, it is...
Moving Up, Moving Out
The excitement is unreal. The nerves are even more present. In less than 24 hours, I will be setting foot in a new country on a completely new continent. Am I excited to finally explore another part...
Headed to Europe
I have always wanted to study abroad, specifically in Europe, but my coursework has not allowed for it. When the opportunity arose for me to be able to study abroad in Europe while taking a class...
MOB –> MAD
Day 2 in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, and I already know I need more time than 27 days. 12 hours and 24 minutes. That was the calculated time of my flights and layovers from Mobile to Atlanta and...
Three Weeks Traveled, Next Stop Spain
Most people dream of traveling the world, and once your tuition is paid for a study abroad program, that’s exactly what most people do, including me. One important thing I learned is that when you...
A New Adventure
I was always told that the best way to learn a new language is to Study abroad; being able to hear it and being forced to speak it. At first I was afraid, because of the cultural difference. I...
What Now?
Well...it has been 5 months now. I can't believe how quickly this semester has seemed to go by. It feels like I was just getting on the plane to Scotland from the U.S. just yesterday. The last two...
A Rustic Experience and Talk of Turtles
Good Morning everyone! This is my second blog post about my adventures in Costa Rica, and I am very excited about the trip we took the weekend before last to Ostional Turtle Reserve! Ostional is an...
“Please remove your computer from your bag.”
Arriving back in America was a great feeling. Knowing that I could communicate effortlessly with everyone was very comforting. I did iss some of the German food and culture, and of course the...
Whirlwind Tour
The Plane is Half of the Adventure
I belong to a rare group of human beings. One that has never been past the security gates of an airport. One that has never seen firsthand what the Earth looks like from up above. One of the few...
Indovation: Reverse Innovation in India
Hi everyone! I’d like to start off by saying that this is my first real blog, so bear with me if I make any rookie blogger gaffes. Oh and if any of you have any suggestions, questions, or just want...
Service work at Isla Popa
The main aspect of any Alabama Action Program is service work. Our main service project through Outward Bound took place on Isla Popa, a small island community off the cost of Panama. We had kayaked...
Alabama Action Abroad – Just the Beginning
After leaving The University of Alabama when spring semester had come to a close and embarking on my adventure to Costa Rica (with service to Panama) I never would have imagined how much of an...
The Full Nicaraguan Experience
Arriving in Managua, I was shocked at the traffic conditions. Cars zipping in and out like there aren't any traffic laws. On the roads, different services were done by children begging for money,...
Next Stop, China!
So it's getting down to the wire and I have about 5 hours until I leave for the airport. If you would have asked me three years ago when I began college, or even about 6 months ago in the middle of...
The Architecture Capital
Having never been to Europe, I had know idea what to expect or if I would even like being over seas. I was wrong in all ways. First, I think it is hard to put into words for me my favorite thing...
Access to Information
Access to information in Cuba worked a little differently than in the United States for several reasons. I quickly learned to appreciate how easily I was able to access information in the United...
“How was the food?”
One of the first things people ask me about Cuba is “how was the food?” I didn't really have any idea of what Cuban food might be like before traveling to Cuba, although I had heard there is an...
Being Back
Coming back to the United States from Cuba has definitely been a culture shock, more so than I had anticipated. One of the weirdest things was turning off the part of my brain that uses Spanish that...
My Airplane Essentials
The semester is officially over, which means I have two months before the start of my study abroad trip in Oxford, England. How exciting is that? What I'm not so excited about, however, is the long...
The Inevitable Return
We have been requested to write a blog upon returning to the States. I hesitate, because my return has been so uneventful, that I fear I would be boring everyone to write about it. And I am under no...
Authentic Pizza and Gelato, with Culture on the Side
On May 29th, I will be departing the soil on which I have spent the last (almost) 14 years. To where? To the birthplace of the Renaissance, to the home of some of the most amazing artists, to a city...
Beaches, Forests, and Students, Oh my!
Good afternoon everyone, my name is Brianna, and seeing as this is my first blog EVER I wanted to make sure it was full of awe-inspiring beauty, and maybe some strange pictures of brand new friends!...
“To Study Abroad or To Not Study Abroad?”
“To study abroad or not to study abroad?” This question rang in my head many times while I have been in college. Will it be too expensive? Will I enjoy it? Where will I go? All these questions...
Limbo
Right now, the best state to describe myself in is limbo. The inbetween place. The between state of an ending school year and beginning an adventure in Barcelona. Its a good place to be though. Its...
For the Future students: A Semester in Florence
Next Friday, I will return home to the United States. It's crazy to think that I have been living in Florence for four months now and Florence is now my home. I'm not sure when the transition...
Nearly Two Months In…
Hello everyone! This is my first blog post on Bamabloggers abroad, but I couldn't be more excited to share what I have encountered and learned so far with y'all. First and foremost, my name is...
The Chronicle of a Whirlwind Adventure – Pt. 1 Pre-Departure
I've always been one for adventure and experiencing different ways of life. I have a wanderlust that has taken me as near as some of the local treasures surrounding Tuscaloosa, and as far as...
Gearing Up for the Green Hills
I never thought that I would be packing for all four seasons in one small suitcase, but here I am. I'm still not sure how I'm going to do it. In just over a month, I'll be departing my quiet home in...
Belgium, Berlin and London, Oh My
I started planning this trip in November, and it always seemed like something to look forward to. Now, as I have just four more days to prepare, I am a little overwhelmed, but incredibly excited. I...
Returning Home: Now What?
As I study for exams on this beautiful spring morning in my favorite café in Salamanca, I am forced to come to terms with the fact that my time in Europe is coming to an end. I started off the...
Arrivederci Italia
I cannot believe I am already packing my bags and preparing for finals. In some ways it seems like I just left the United States but in other ways it feels like I have been gone forever and have no...
Why I am Excited.
Ever since I was a freshman in college I have wanted to study abroad. However, because of multiple reasons, I was unable to fulfill this dream. I knew that I would learn a great deal, not only in...
Off to Costa Rica!
Heading to Costa Rica today! I can not wait to see the beautiful rainforest, beaches and volcanoes that hold a wide range of biodiversity. I an so glad my family encouraged me to go on at least one...
I don’t think this is English
I landed in Frankfurt International Airport on January 2nd, and was glad to see that the signs were bilingual. My professors however, were bilingual as well, and had already started the German...
“Parting is such sweet sorrow..”
It's hard to believe that my time here in England has nearly come to its end. Studying abroad for an entire school year has been the most rewarding, yet most challenging thing that I've ever done....
An Addition to Your Bucket List: Spend St. Paddy’s in Dublin
I wasn’t going to go to Dublin. “One day,” I promised myself. The flight itself was pricey, and that didn’t count the costs of spending a weekend in one of the most expensive cities in Europe. I...
5 Things I Learned During My First Month In Spain
In many ways, I have revolved my entire college experience around this semester. I loaded up on classes at Alabama so that I would be able to graduate on time. I chose to minor in Spanish so that I...
Nicaragua, here I come!
Tomorrow is takeoff! My flight may leave before the sun comes up, but I couldn't be more excited to be headed to Granada, Nicaragua. For the entire semester, a group of twelve of us have prepared...
La Vacanze di Pasqua
Spring vacation was an amazing experience. While most of my friends opted to travel outside Italy, I decided to stay and explore outside Milan. A friend and I chose to travel to Sicily for five...
Mom don’t worry I go to school
Over the past few months studying in Prague, friends and family have seen my many travel photos and asked if I actually take classes. They are probably (prague-ably) joking, but also I think Mom in...
Top 7 Things to Know to Survive Spain
While I’m no Buzzfeed writer, these 7 pieces of advice will help anyone ease into la vida Española. Coins are gold! No not actual gold, but your euro coins should be valued. In the United States, we...
The Reality of Life Abroad
I'd like to have a conversation about friends and loved ones both at home and in your host country. It has been very easy during my time here to allow myself to fall into the habit of putting off a...
Amalfi Coast weekend…ending with a bang
Well, after a wonderful semester, I just completed my last weekend of the academic semester...weird! So, it is finals week...ugh. But let's forget about that quickly and recap my weekend in the...
What the Online Lists Won’t Tell You
"When deciding what to bring on a study abroad trip, you walk a very fine line. The trick is to cover as many potential disasters and weather changes as possible while bringing the least amount of...
ON WEDNESDAYS WE GO CAVING…
At the University of Limerick, there is an Outdoor Pursuits Club that does outdoor activities throughout the semester. I always participated in the hiking days, but I decided to do something out of...
Making friends at the local cheese store
I am currently studying at the University of Limerick in Ireland. The town of Limerick has something called the Milk Market every Saturday morning. It is a local market where people sell everything...
Explore United Kingdom during the Easter
After I finished all my classes at the end of March, I was so glad to meet my parents in UK and began our two-week trip here. It was so excited and happy that I could discover the charm of United...