Over the intercom, the train conductor announced that we would soon be arriving in Grenoble, France. It was the middle of June and through the windows of the compartment, I could see snow-capped mountains peering through thin clouds. My heart quickened and I suddenly became extremely anxious. What if my host family didn’t like me?…
They say that home is where the heart is, and I found that to be true when I was in Vienna this past summer. I was initially really nervous about studying abroad. I’d never been out of the country before (aside from my 5 month stint in Vietnam before I was adopted when I was…
For me, my time in Vienna will be remembered as a time of personal growth and self-understanding. During my program, my German skills improved tremendously but more importantly I felt more connected with others. The language barrier proved troublesome at first, but as time progressed communication became easier. My favorite nights were those when my…
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 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,…
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…
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…