As I sit down to write this blog, I truly cannot believe I have barely been in Guatemala a week. My heart is already swollen with love for the Guatemalan people, culture and beautiful landscape, and it genuinely swells a little more with each passing “buenos dias” or “hola” I… read more
Take A Chance
After applying to The University of Texas at Austin in Fall 2019, I received a rejection letter and was instantly devastated. However, I applied to UT knowing about the possibility to appeal admissions decisions. I appealed and waited until April 1, 2020, when I finally received my “Gone to Texas”… read more
Lessons in Santander
Has it only been a little over a month in Spain? I cannot believe it. When my brother dropped me off at the airport in Houston for my flight to Santander, Spain, I only had one question: “Can I do this?” Of course, there is so much ambiguity in that… read more
I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends
Taking the leap to study abroad for the entire summer was not an easy decision for me, to say the least. While I eagerly looked forward to being fully immersed in the language and culture of Spain, a part of me wished I could soak up this last summer with… read more
The Art of Doing Nothing
I have been lucky enough to study abroad in Japan for three semesters: two at Kyoto University in Kyoto and one semester at Waseda University in Tokyo, which I am now more than halfway done with. Classes abroad have been much less rigorous and intense than those I have taken… read more
My Last Month in Shanghai
I can’t believe my exchange journey has come to an end. June had arrived before I noticed. Looking back on my four months in Shanghai, happiness and satisfaction are two words that can best sum it up. As at UT, Fudan University often hosts a wide variety of activities on… read more
From Australia to Austin: Cultural Traditions in Times of Change
I am new to Austin. I just moved to town, and what a time to move! I was most recently living in Doha, Qatar and have been in Austin for just over a month. It is always a challenge to move across oceans, build a new life, learn a new… read more
“Sooo… what’s the next step after graduation?”
It’s down to three days until graduation, and for most of us peer advisors, study abroad has greatly impacted the plans we have after walking the stage. As a reminder, peer advisors are available Monday through Friday from 9-5 during the semester and 12-3 during the summer on a walk-in… read more
How to avoid study a-BORED: get involved!
This week’s pro tip from your favorite team of peer advisors: get involved while you’re abroad! Odds are that at UT, you have several interests and friend groups outside of class… and there’s no reason why you can’t be the same thing abroad. Whether you like to volunteer at home… read more
Top Ten Pieces of Advice From Your STAMP Team
If you found yourself asking what “Your STAMP Team” is, don’t rush to google just yet. Your STAMP team is the team available to you as mentors for study abroad; STAMP stands for Study Abroad Mentor Program and you can learn more about advising here. Basically, we’re your one-stop shop… read more