Bama Bloggers Abroad
Saying Goodbye
Saying goodbye to Cologne was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do...even though I'm coming back. My last day was the day of the Christmas advent celebration at my school so I got an extra...
New Routines
Whether it comes on all at once or in a steady progression, you soak in the culture of your host country. You don’t have to eagerly dive in head first to find yourself picking up the mannerisms and...
Aarhus University, Denmark: A day in the life
7:00am: Wake up and cook breakfast in the common kitchen before class. I share a hallway with 11 other students-- some international, some Danish-- and we all share a big kitchen and bathroom....
John’s Visit
What's up Bama nation! So my good friend John Fredericksen decided to hop on a plane and come check out Barcelona. The weather was dismal, he was sick as a dog, and his new iPhone 6+ got stolen his...
Down To The Wire
There are only 3 days left of this 100 day adventure in Berlin, Germany. There were many times that it felt like I had been abroad for a lifetime and was never leaving but now as I start to pack, I...
Somewhere Sunny and 75
I sighed taking in a deep breath of the sea air and feeling the warm sunrays soak into my skin. The transparent water broke gently along the pebbled shore. I don’t know exactly what I pictured when...
Good Bye for now South Africa!
I've been back in the USA for two days now. The jet lag is ferocious, but I am glad to be home. It was bittersweet leaving a place that has become so close to my heart. The sensations I felt seeing...
Thanksgiving in Prague
Unfortunately the Czech Republic does not celebrate Thanksgiving, so this year I had a nontraditional Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday of the year sadly falls during the time I am out of the...
thankful thoughts
I don’t even know where to begin with the ending of this trip! How is tomorrow already Thanksgiving? These past three months have flown by! What an incredible experience study abroad has been for...
Life So Far in Köln
I can't believe that I've only been in Cologne, Germany for three months. It feels like a lifetime. When I first arrived I was overwhelmed but excited. I was ready to learn. I was ready to take on...
Venga
You know the moment when you realize you’re in love? Personally I’ve never experienced it, but the movies have to be a pretty great indication of how it happens. The typical story of the girl who...
Coming into the home stretch…
We're approaching the end of term here at Leicester Uni and tensions are, of course, running high. In England, your entire grade rests on two essays or one essay and an exam (at least for Politics...
Australian Culture vs. American Culture
Everyone's first stereotypes of Australians are pretty similar. They surf, cook shrimp on the barbie and say "G'day!" for everything. The funniest part is that most of these stereotypes are true,...
From Russia With Love
Walking the half mile to the Church of the Intercession, I had already handed my last bit of cinnamon bread over to a horse and had given up any hope of staying warm (despite wearing every layer of...
Now What?
I've been back in the States for a little over a week. It's been strange to be back on the right side of the road and to not hear Kiwi accents everywhere I go, and it's even weirder to not have...
La vita e bella!
I am in love. It is an odd love that I will never forget. My time here in Florence has passed by so fast, I feel like I just got here yesterday. The thought that I only have a little more than two...
Back in the USA
Now that I am back home I am feeling a little bit of everything! I was so excited to see my friends and family when I got back, but I already miss SA so much. I left a little piece of my heart...
Halfway done *crying emoji*
Que tal, Oh my goodness y’all. Barcelona is absolutely insane. I am very sorry that I haven’t posted in quite some time. I don’t really have an excuse besides the fact that Barcelona is insane....
Berlin after 78 days
Stepping off of the plane and entering Berlin was like an alternate reality. I remember constantly stepping onto the balcony and just trying to realize I was in another country for the next three...
final month
I honestly can't believe I only have a month left in the beautiful UK! This semester has been so thrilling and I can't believe it's quickly coming to a close. I've traveled to four different...
Discovering Denmark: First Impressions and Actuality
My journey to Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark, began back in August and included almost missing my flight, delays, and lost luggage. BUT after being here for two and a half months I am...
112 Days in Africa
Everywhere I go, "Oh you are from Alabama? Sweeeet Hommeeeee Alabamaaaaa!" That's the only phrase from the Lynrd Skynyrd song they recall, but it never ceases to make me smile. South Africans remind...
Welcome to Jordan!
The reaction played out so similarly every time that I came to expect it. My friend or family member would ask about my plans for the fall to which I’d reply that I was going to Jordan. There was...
Vive le France!
It has been a while since my last submission as a Bama Blogger -- but only because I've been travelling! When we all arrived, haggard and jetlagged, in Heathrow airport, we expected a week to get to...
Američankas in Praha
I've been in Prague, Czech Republic for about 6 weeks and coming here was the best decision I've ever made. Compared to other European cities, Prague is easy to get around, not too big or too small...
Living in a Foreign Culture
I thought I had a handle on some of what defined Russian culture before my time abroad in St. Petersburg, yet a few weeks into my trip I realized I knew far more and far less than I’d guessed. You...
Am I There Yet? (Part 2) Excursion to Leicester, UK
"What did I do to deserve this? Why MY luggage? Why does this airport have to be so big? Why did I have to pack those extra shoes? The luggage is that much heavier." After about 15 minutes of...
Ain’t it fun living in the real world?
Today, I feel the need to tell about adventures, relationships, and growing up. I have always been a free-spirited, exploration-driven person, but studying abroad in Thailand has brought out the...
Some Change is Good
I've been in Bilbao, Spain, for about a month now. That makes a month of new people, new experiences, new thoughts, and new struggles. I don't know that there is anything more strange than arriving...
yamas!
Greeeeeeeeece! What an experience. The beauty of the Greek Isles is stunning…the mountains, the landscape, the beaches, everything is simply breath-taking. Not to mention the lovely people. They are...
Since I’ll be in Greece next weekend I thought I would go ahead and say how incredible this first month has been. I am so thankful I was able to make the decision to study abroad. I believe this...
Cheers from Leicester, England!
We are drawing closer and closer to October, and classes have yet to start at the University of Leicester. I will be studying from October 6th to December 12th, making this my shortest school year...
Am I There Yet? Excursion to Leicester, UK
This may have been the longest week of my life! So much to share, so little time (off to yet another University activity). Lets start from the beginning. My travels began on Sunday September 22,...
As my time here in London has increased I have loved it more and more. The people, the food, the entertainment, and everything in between never gets old and there is constantly something new...
Pre-Departure: Coming to Japan – Live from Canada
It’s small. I stretch my legs out, and my chair runs into my bed on the ground – about 3 feet or so from the desk I’m typing at. To my left are a bookshelf and tall, narrow box that is my closet....
What’s up Roll Tide Nation, Well I waited almost a week to do my next entry. So many apologies from me. My excitement upon arrival left me with almost no down time. And though my tone right...
When in Africa
First Impressions – What were your first impressions when you arrived in your host country? What thoughts were running through your head? How did you feel? What situations/experiences did you...
Pre-Departure: United Kingdom
"The greatest danger in life is not to take the adventure." - George Mallory Today, I will embark on the most note-worthy adventures of my almost-twenty-year old life (my birthday is...
Sweet Home Africa
Fall of my senior year at Alabama my best friend Sarah Justus, also a Music Education undergraduate, told me about the COST program (The Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching). The thought of...
Sawatdee ka from Thailand!
I have only ever left the country once in my life and that was just this past summer. I went to the Philippines for 2 months and loved Southeast Asia so much that I just had to go back. Now, I find...
Willkommen in Köln!
Hello from Cologne, Germany! My name is Chelsey, I'm a senior, and I will be student teaching in this great city until December first. I arrived in late August, after a crazy almost-24-hours of...
First Week Recap
Wow this first week has been absolutely incredible. First getting here I was filled with all kinds of different emotions, but it's safe to say I am in love with this place. The friends I've made so...
Half a Kiwi
I have so much to say about the past five weeks that I’m not really sure where to begin. We’ll give it a go. I've done some more traveling around the Auckland area, mostly, and spent one weekend...
A Tokyo Tale: Finally Landed…and Lost in Translation
Hello again my readers and study abroad hopefuls! Ashley Haugland here, and I'm happy to announce I've made it to Japan! I've been here, buckle up kiddies, a whole eleven days. I know, I...
Here we go!
Wow. Cannot believe the time is finally here and I'm sitting in the Boston airport waiting to depart! I realized in my last post I didn't really give my background, oops! I'm Hannah and I'm a junior...
Last Weekend in Tuscaloosa
What's up Roll Tide Nation, My name is Chandler Coston and I'll be documenting my travels in Barcelona where I will be studying Civil Engineering and some Spanish. I leave next week, so I decided to...
Getting There.
How long have I been imagining this? I can assure you it has been a more substantial period of time than your average 20 year old dwells on these sorts of things. I remember sitting in my first...
The Death of a Cat
Yesterday at 3 am, Cuchufli, a cat of one and a half years, died. Cuchufli was struck by a car, found by my host sister, and rushed to the hospital. He had suffered a fractured hip, among other...
10 more days!
Live, Travel, Adventure, Bless, & Don’t Be Sorry. -Jack Keronac
From Bama to Berlin!
Hello all, My name is Taylor Blevins and I am a senior at UA majoring in Elementary Education. Through the COST program I was able to attain an internship placement in Berlin, Germany. While here I...