by Isabella D. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, _
Now that I’m back home, it’s surreal to think that just a week ago I was walking the cobblestone streets of Florence with 17 other students from Alabama, strangers who turned into my lifelong friends. I remember stepping off the plane and feeling equal parts nervous...
by Isabella D. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer
As I write this blog post I currently have the warm summer sun illuminating my funky italian room, my host mom is preparing our amazing and fresh dinner, and our 20 year old cat is snuggled up next to me. Who would have ever thought that I would find such a new...
by Isabella D. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Program Type, Summer, _
Before I left for Florence I had no clue what to expect. Between the excitement of experiencing the unknown cultural normalities and the vast range of Italian food, I was already ecstatic! I was initially nervous about studying abroad by myself, as someone who is a...
by Gabriel S. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Summer, _
Happiness is pleasure plus memories plus people Arthur Brooks Wow, I cannot believe it is over. Less than a week ago, I was in Ireland, trekking across the mountains, fields, towns, farms, and islands of that beautiful country. There is far too much to talk about in a...
by Gabriel S. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Summer, _
Well, there it is. That suitcase will hold everything I need for the next 20 days. To be honest, I still don’t think it’s sunk in yet, and I don’t know if it will until I actually step off the plane. There is a part of me that wants that though, because I don’t want...
by Margarita A. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Hm. I never thought I’d be sitting next to my mom buying a plane ticket with a minimum travel time of 14 hours. First time for everything I suppose. Speaking of firsts—this will be my first time overseas in Madrid, Spain, Europe; pretty much anywhere that is not the...
by Jack R. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Honors College, Summer
Leading up to my study abroad opportunity in Oxford, I spent a month working as an EMT and shadowing at the ER in my hometown. I enjoyed the experience immensely, and I learned a great deal from it. However, during that time, my life moved extremely fast. I worked...
by Andreea T. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
As I landed in Charles de Gaulle, the strongest emotion I felt was tiredness. I had not slept at all on the plane; moreover, I was hauling around a broken suitcase and carry-on luggage. I was overwhelmed on the bus ride home but as my new host “mom” welcomed me to...
by Andreea T. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Celebrating the Fourth of July after coming home! As I adjust to life in the United States and reminisce about my time in France, I find comfort in a familiar environment, yet I miss many aspects of my life abroad. When I first landed at the Atlanta Airport, I was...
by Katie S. | Jul 10, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Central America, Faculty-Led, Summer
Motivation/Reasoning: I applied for this program, after Professor Chris Hale came by one of my classes to talk about the upcoming trip. Not only was it a good opportunity to learn about political science in another country , but it also would give me a better...
by Natalie R. | Jul 10, 2025 | Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
With only 4 days left until I depart for my study abroad trip in Greece, I wanted to share with you all some words and helpful information for anyone planning a trip soon. I always knew I wanted to study abroad; there is valuable knowledge in immersing yourself in...
by Gabriel S. | Jun 27, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Summer, _
This picture was taken on top of Diamond Hill in Co. Galway, Ireland. It was the last of the major hikes we did while in the Emerald Isle and absolutely breathtaking. It was cloudy and misty the entire hike up, making the surrounding landscape look like it had been...
by Anna H. | Jun 27, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Asia, Summer, _
The first month is the most fun I ever had in my life. The second is when I began to hate the country I’m in. The third is when I realized I left my support system behind. And the fourth is when everything I was preached during pre-departure got put to the test....
by Claire A. | Jun 27, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Honors College, Summer, _
Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport…which is where I’ll be in less than 24 hours! I came across the UA in Oxford program last fall and knew it was the perfect opportunity for me. As an...
by Lillian J. | Jun 27, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Hello everyone! Last time I posted, I showed some photos from Freiburg where our group has been studying and talked about what all we’ve been getting into. This post will be about two excursions some of us took during our program, to the French city of Strasbourg and...
by Anna L. | Jun 23, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Australia/New Zealand, Faculty-Led, Honors College, Summer, _
To be honest, studying abroad was never really on my mind or on my bucket list of things to do during my college years. However, once my scholarship package offered a stipend to use specifically for studying abroad, I thought I should at least consider it. Still, I...
by Amelia W. | Jun 23, 2025 | Africa, Arts & Sciences, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
Hi, I’m Amelia from New Orleans, I am preparing for my study abroad adventure in Benin, Africa. As a student in the foreign languages and literature program, I’ve always been drawn to francophone cultures. Growing up surrounded by several francophone communities made...
by Saphia H. | Jun 23, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
I landed at the airport around noon in Paris, France and took a bus to Tours, France to meet my host family after landing. I was tired and super nervous to meet them. Meeting them eased some of my worries a bit, and the country is so beautiful. I cant wait to go see...
by Saphia H. | Jun 23, 2025 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, _
After spending a month in Tours, France, I have had numerous interesting experiences. The culture shock has worn off, and I have adjusted to life here. Classes were intensive, and my French has improved a lot since I’ve been here. The Language and Culture Study...
by Alyssa W. | Dec 20, 2024 | Arts & Sciences, Europe, Faculty-Led, Summer, _
“Americans are so talkative and friendly—people here don’t just chat with everyone they meet”. This was a comment I got on the train to London at 4 a.m., after spending the past hour talking to someone from the area about everything from economics to music. It was a...
