When in Rome

When in Rome

I am on my study abroad trip and we are on our 3rd stop of the trip which is Rome, Italy. We have previously been in Zagreb and Dubrovnik, Croatia. I fly pretty frequently but this has been my first time traveling Europe. By the end of my trip I know that I will be a...
First week in France!

First week in France!

I have been taking French classes for almost 7 years, and throughout the entirety of my education, the importance of a global mindset has been emphasized. In order to be a better citizen of your own country, you must be able to recognize the cultural differences and...

UA in Germany: Part I

Let me start by introducing myself, and give a little background as to why I chose to study abroad, why I chose Germany, et cetera:   Hi, all. My name is Jake Elkins. I am a 19-year-old math and physics major from essentially just down the road–Birmingham,...

Story Behind the Picture: Camel Trek

  We recently held our annual Education Abroad Photo Contest. The winner in the Landscape category was Hannah Brawley for her photo, “Camel Trek,” taken in the Sahara Desert of Morocco while she studied abroad with Semester at Sea. Here is her story:...

A Not so Difficult Decision

Since I left Germany after a two week vacation in high school, my goal has always been to go back, but I did not know how. The opportunity presented itself with the Two Steps Ahead program at UA. The expectations were lofty: become a fluent German speaker inside of...

Bis später!

Far before I stepped foot on UA’s beautiful campus, let alone knew I would be attending UA, I knew that I wanted to study abroad at least once while in college. I had heard from high school teachers and other mentors that a study abroad trip was a transformative...
Life Across the Pond

Life Across the Pond

Once I stepped off the plane at London Gatwick, I felt as if I was in the middle of dream. Everything was different. The people talked funny and the signs I had to follow were different than the ones in America. Flash forward almost an entire month and I still feel as...

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 flight. The flight to London is about eight hours, so I’ll...