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,…
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…
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…
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…
“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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…