My study abroad experience almost ended one week before it began, when I discovered my passport and visa were stolen from the Korean Consulate’s mailbox. Luckily, after several back-and-forth phone calls and an urgent flight to Dallas, I had everything I needed to board my flight. I had dreamed of… read more
Global Ambassador
A Letter From Madrid
Hi everyone! I’m writing to you from Madrid. I want to share my experience in this program so you can get a taste of what it’s like to study abroad in Madrid as an international student. I’m a senior at The University of Texas at Austin, majoring in communication… read more
Embracing Shanghai’s Academic and Cultural Richness
My exchange journey at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, marks an exciting new chapter in my academic career. Shanghai, my hometown and a global economic hub, offers a vibrant multicultural atmosphere that perfectly complements Fudan’s renowned academic environment. This exchange provides an opportunity to not only further my studies but… read more
From Tuscany to Amsterdam: A Global Journey
“Hallo! Mijn naam is Diana, aangaan!” No, that’s not a typo. That’s how you say ‘hello’ in Dutch. The second part means, “My name is Diana, it’s nice to meet you.” Interesting, right? In between clusters of syllables, the hard gs, soft js and vowels that stick together, Dutch has… read more
One Month in Korea: New Friends, New Perspectives
I’m wrapping up my second week at Korea University, almost a month after arriving in Seoul. The whirlwind of new experiences has been both exhilarating and eye-opening. I vividly recall the mix of nerves and excitement when I bid farewell to my father at the airport. Traveling alone for the… read more
Panama: Energy and the Environment
Navigating New Beginnings If someone had told me in high school that I would be studying abroad during my first semester of college, I would have called them crazy. The reality of spending my entire first semester of college in Panama did not truly sink in until I arrived at… read more
Lessons from the Metro in Kazakhstan
Growing up in Austin, I avoided public transportation at all costs. I am notoriously directionally challenged and tend to get on the wrong bus every time I try to navigate Cap Metro. So naturally, I was nervous about using public transportation in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where I would live for a… read more
From Copenhagen to the Swiss Alps: Chasing Wanderlust
The giddy excitement reverberating through me stemmed from a decision that had finally come to fruition after weeks of contemplation. I had just booked my first flight of the fall semester to my dream destination – Switzerland! For 119 euros, I’d secured a round trip from my Copenhagen, my new… read more
Reflections on a Month in Copenhagen
My first impression of Copenhagen was the iconic colorful buildings of the Nyhavn Harbor and the countless rows of bikes that commonly adorn postcards. Within a week of arriving, I used my affiliate school’s student discount to rent a bike for the semester and immediately integrated myself into traffic (after… read more
Growth and Exploration in Seoul
I have been in Seoul for less than two months, and it has already been a whirlwind experience. I started my classes and have almost fully adjusted to the lifestyle here. Each day, I get to experience something new. Although I have experienced some homesickness, the joy of studying abroad… read more
