Tag Exploration

A small, handmade boat floats on top of still water. Dark grey mountains stand tall in the background behind a cloudy sky.

Shanghai Serenade

Abroad and Beyond China College of Liberal Arts Colleges and Schools Countries Exchange Programs Global Ambassador Summer Programs

August 3, 2023

After six long years and a global pandemic, I was back in China. I arrived in Shanghai two days before my academic program began to get adjusted to the city that I would call home for the summer. East China…

Wide view of an old building that looks like a castle on top of a small hill. A dark sky is overhead.

Mentally Preparing for Studying Abroad

Abroad and Beyond Peer Notes

August 2, 2023

As you prepare to embark on your study abroad journey, your mind will be swarmed with mixed emotions. In certain moments, you will experience insurmountable excitement as you visualize yourself studying and living in the magical country you’ve chosen. However,…

Outdoor concert at night in front of a large rectangular palace. A light garden contrasts the deep blue sky.

The City of Music

Austria College of Liberal Arts Colleges and Schools Countries Faculty-Led Programs Global Ambassador Summer Programs

July 5, 2023
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There is not a single city that I have found myself in that devotes itself so fiercely to the arts as Vienna does. With the military decline of the Habsburg empire, Vienna suddenly found itself pushed to look inward and…

Sunset over dusty dark blue and grey mountains sit behind a bed of clouds.

Finding My Pace

College of Liberal Arts Colleges and Schools Countries Exchange Programs Global Ambassador Taiwan

May 11, 2023
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I have been in Taiwan for three months now. As I reflect on the past two months, I realized they have taught me a lot about endurance and joy. Through the overwhelming and stressful moments, I learned to not let…

Bright building painted in blue and pink sits in the center of a neighborhood on a sunny day

Shifting My Personal Focus

College of Natural Sciences Colleges and Schools Countries Exchange Programs Global Ambassador Mexico

May 9, 2023
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Last December, I had a scare that almost prevented me from going abroad: In order to get acceptance from my international university, I had to send a copy of my passport. I had applied for renewal a couple months before,…

Student smiling and standing in front of Wat Phu KhaoThong, a large Buddhist temple in Thailand with many steps.

A Sojourner: My Way

College of Liberal Arts Colleges and Schools Countries Exchange Programs Global Ambassador Singapore Thailand

April 12, 2023
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At 5:00 one morning, I was abruptly awoken by the ringing of my alarm clock. The pitch-black sky outside the slats of my blinds made me want to indulge in more sleep, but I managed to get out of bed.…

Smoke covers an outdoor market during a festival.

Let’s Take a Field Trip

College of Natural Sciences Colleges and Schools Countries Exchange Programs Global Ambassador Malaysia Singapore

March 21, 2023

I think it’s safe to say that I’m in the thick of things now. The excitement that was lost in translation and manifested as anxiety — anxiety that I would not be liked, that culture shock would electrify me to…

Carol and a friend take a selfie with a clock tower in the background

Rekindling the Old and Igniting the New: Reflecting on Connections

Affiliated Programs Belgium College of Liberal Arts Colleges and Schools Countries Global Ambassador Moody College of Communication

October 31, 2022
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Connections between people and places bring the world together. Especially in a place like Brussels, creating and maintaining connections is incredibly important. The way the city itself is connected, as well as how it’s connected to the rest of the…

A group of students rappel down a canyon filled with water

Solo Traveling: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone and Achieving your Goals

Australia College of Natural Sciences Colleges and Schools Countries Exchange Programs Global Ambassador

October 24, 2022
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In Australia, at the end of September, all the university students are given a mid-semester break. I figured this was the perfect opportunity to do some traveling and exploration, and I decided to take a two-week backpacking trip up the…