Category: Pre-Departure

February 11, 2015

Tourist’s Last Days

Lava came spewing down the side of Mount Etna at a pace that indicated imminent doom. In my mind this was the beginning of the end and the outcome would be just as dismal as Pompeii thousands of years ago. When I decided to Study Abroad in Taormina, Sicily I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know anyone on...

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February 11, 2015

My New Normal as a Spaniard

I knew from the first moment that I began to research Spain as the country of my choice for a high school Spanish project that I absolutely wanted to travel there one day. It seemed so far away and a little bit scary to my small-town mind, but it was something I longed to do, and I was determined to...

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September 22, 2014

Mi Verano en Costa Rica

My experience while studying abroad was one of a lifetime. I was fortunate enough to spend a month in the beautiful country of Costa Rica. While I was there, I was able to witness one of the largest celebrations I have ever seen, even bigger than an Auburn win over Alabama. Costa Rica, whose passion is soccer, had won their...

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September 11, 2014

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost

Since before I can remember, I was told that I had a strong trait called wanderlust. When I was a little girl, learning about my great-grandmother’s Spanish heritage sparked my initial interest in the language and culture. I began speaking Spanish in 8th grade and from there on I knew that one day I had to travel to Spain. My...

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July 21, 2014

Leaving The Shire

For nearly my entire life, the known universe to me consisted of two small towns in Alabama and some stops along the road around them. Growing up in Fairhope, AL, my family never cared much for travel. We made the occasional journey to Orlando and even went on a cruise once, but no one in my family ever had any...

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June 23, 2014

A Royal Jordanian Experience

   Studying abroad is a unique opportunity to learn of new cultures, different languages, lifestyles, religions, and other ways of life. Growing up in Kentucky, I have never been exposed to Muslim culture or Arabic. When I initially heard about Auburn’s Study Abroad in Jordan, I thought of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote, “Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful,...

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June 23, 2014

People to People

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” It’s a saying that most people have stumbled across multiple times in their lives. It’s probably been a Facebook status, a tweet, a pin on Pinterest, or a post on Tumblr. I always thought it referred to those who you traveled with, who are in all of the pictures with...

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March 10, 2014

I Paid for a Program and Got Change Back

For my study abroad program, we were required to keep a thesis journal. This journal included a multitude of things including recipes, reflections, responses and impressions, facts, pictures, schedules, and MUCH more. Even though it was a required assignment, I began to appreciate how it let me document every aspect of my program. Following is the journal reflection I wrote...

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March 10, 2014

Discovering Roots in France

   Having spent my entire life in small-town Alabama, I had plenty of exposure to the sort of things that people typically associate with southern culture. I grew up hunting, fishing, eating fried okra and grits—you name it. The cousins and family I knew all spoke with Southern accents, and embraced the slower laid-back pace of the region. But there...

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March 10, 2014

Around the World with Auburn

During my four years at Auburn, I have had several opportunities to gain international experience by studying and volunteering abroad. I studied abroad in what I think are two pivotal moments of my college career: once during the summer after my freshman year and once during the first semester of my senior year. I also participated in Auburn’s Alternative Student...

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September 10, 2013

Bucket List Busted: from Auburn to Madrid

As a sophomore in high school, I knew that I wanted to become fluent in Spanish and to study abroad during my undergraduate career. Auburn provided me with both of these opportunities, and I chose to spend the Spring semester of my Junior year in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. I lived with a host family that could not speak English, and all...

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June 6, 2013

From Auburn to Austria

Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, I knew I would want to spend time abroad someday. I was always curious about other countries, cultures and languages. I was ready to get out of my comfort zone and travel the world. I spent five weeks with Auburn’s Summer Program in Vienna, Austria. I had my language and culture classes in the afternoon...

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