The Study Abroad Blog

A Few Of My Favorite Study Abroad Photos

10 of my favorite study abroad photos and the story behind them

This post was prompted by a number of things including a recent feeling of nostalgia, my quickly developing Paint.net skills, and my recent interest in Pinterest. While most of these photos were chosen because they’re tied to an important memory, some were chosen simply because they came out really well (if I do say so myself). Regardless of why they were chosen, here are 10 of my favorite study abroad photos. (more…)

How to stay safe and deal with disaster during study abroad

Student Safety Study Abroad Protest Rome

Just following a peaceful protest around the Coliseum

Concerns over study abroad student safety have become much greater over the past couple of years with events like last year’s uprisings in the Middle East, this year’s attacks on U.S. Embassies in the Middle East, and the recent anti-Japan protests in China. Students have been arrested, disappeared, and some have even died abroad. The reality is that the world isn’t 100% safe; however, the number of students who fit into the categories I just mentioned are very few. If the right precautions are taken, there’s little chance you’ll encounter any major danger, and if you do, at least you’ll be prepared. Here are The Study Abroad Blog’s tips on staying safe while studying abroad. (more…)

And why Mel Gibson will inspire you to learn a foreign language

We live in a globalized world, a world where cultural understanding and interaction is becoming more and more a part of our everyday lives. This is especially true of the corporate world where multinational companies are becoming the norm, and the key to getting a job is some international exposure and knowledge of a second language. While essential for an international career, here are 8 reasons to learn a foreign language while studying abroad, including motivation from Mel himself. (more…)

Because study abroad orientation week is a week like no other

Get going in the right direction

While ice breakers, mandatory campus tours, chaotic class registration, and long safety lectures probably caused you to dread anything associated with student orientation, I can tell you that orientation week at your study abroad university is probably one of the best weeks you’ll have during your abroad experience. From someone who has been there before, here are 10 tips on how to make the most of your study abroad orientation week. (more…)

Lonely Planet – always a solid travel resource for study abroad students

I’ve heard from many people that it isn’t worth it, that it’s a waste of money: they’re out-dated, they’re heavy, they list sites that are closed, why a book when we have the internet, etc. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion and all of those things may be true, you won’t always have access to the internet, it’s paper i.e. not that heavy, and yes, it’s not updated every year which just means it should be used as a great reference book and not necessarily your sole travel bible. Here are 10 reasons why I think every study abroad student should get a Lonely Planet country guide. (more…)