In March of 2020, my bags stood packed in the hallway, my passport in hand, I was ready for the long flight; however, as it would soon turn out, the flight was not ready for me. With closed borders, my plans changed several more times before finally, the spring of 2022 arrived. Though my original destination, Australia, was no longer an option, with ten days’ notice, I jumped on a…
I made it! I’m finally here! I step off the boat and take in the moment. It is one of those Shoot-I-am-just-so-thankful-moments. It is a WOW moment. A Bigness moment. A life is GOOD moment. All the little logistics leading up to this point no longer matter. In this moment, life is as good as it gets. After weeks of preparation, lectures, excursions, and planning, I have finally arrived at…
While studying abroad, I have discovered the true meaning of adaptability. As my program operates in remote locations and in unpredictable ecosystems, adapting to changing conditions and overcoming obstacles has become an essential life lesson. Whether the roadblocks are physical, social, mental, or emotional, I’ve realized that a) I am not alone, b) that my feelings are valid, and c) the best way to move forward is to adjust my…
Salama! My name is Rylie Talmadge, and I am a junior majoring in Marine Biology and minoring in Psychology and Environmental and Sustainability Studies. Currently I am studying abroad with SIT in Tanzania. In deciding where to study abroad, I limited my search to marine-focused and immersive experiences, hopefully with the ability to conduct hands on fieldwork which directed me to SIT Coastal Ecology and Marine Resource Studies. I was…
I am exceptionally fortunate to have studied abroad several times during my college career. I have completed four short term study abroad programs through CofC. These programs have varied in length and destination: from a one-week spring break trip in Cuba, to two two-week Maymesters in Ghana and Iceland respectively, to a three-week summer program in England and France. Now, I am halfway through my semester abroad in Greece. Other…
Our most recent port was to the island of Mauritius, off the coast of East Africa. Although the original itinerary had the ship staying for just one day, with the recent changes of the Coronavirus we stayed for 6 days. With the original itinerary, the one day stop meant that each student had a mandatory field program assignment, and would partake in that for the day. As a result, I…
South Africa: our last and final port on the semester at sea. Over the course of the recent weeks, we have had many itinerary switches and changes of pace. While these are necessary to ensure the safety of the ship, they are still difficult to grapple with. After leaving the port of Mauritius, we were informed that due to the Coronavirus, we would be ending earlier than planned and eliminating…
Akwaaba! My name is Sophia Stoios. I am a peer advisor here at the Center for International Education. In the May of my freshmen year, I had the opportunity of going on a Maymester in Ghana. We were able to travel all around the south of the country and stay in a variety of locations from big cities like Accra to tiny villages like Wli. One of the most memorable…
By: Doug Mulford I truly didn’t catch the travel bug until I visited a country that I was somewhat wary about: Morocco. I was studying abroad in Spain at the time, and had only ever gone to countries that we would consider culturally “Western”. Still, the opportunity to partake in a guided tour of Northern Morocco presented itself, and I decided to add another country and continent to my list.…
