2015 Student Bloggers
Guatemala – July 31 – August 9
Bonnie Brzytwa
In case you were wondering, someone threw up alphabet soup and created my last name, which is Polish. I like to seek out adventure, find the beauty in everything, and enjoy the little things in life. I’ll graduate in December with a degree in Nursing; I cannot wait to live out my passion daily — to serve, care for, and aid in the healing of others. I love people.
Mandy Taylor
My name is Mandy Taylor. I am 22 years old. My hometown is Belgreen, AL. I am currently a senior at the University of North Alabama. I am studying Nursing, and will graduate in December, 2015.
2014 Student Bloggers
Shanghai, China – May 12 – June 2
Blogger:
- Colton McCormick
Colton McCormick, from Savannah, Tennessee has just finished his freshman year. He hopes his Study Abroad experience may help solidify his interest and help him in declaring a major. Before entering UNA, he has been to England, France and Italy, but has always wanted to travel to China. Follow his adventure.
Tanzania – May 10 – May 28
Blogger:
- Robby Thompson
Robby Thompson received his diploma in the morning and jumped on a plane in the afternoon bound for Tanzania. He received his Bachelor’s in Business Geography and will begin his Masters of Science in Geospatial Science at UNA this summer. Robby studied in Schmalkalden, Germany in 2012 with the Magellan program, then Paris over Spring Break with UNA Study Abroad. Follow his next Study Abroad adventure, will it be his best?
2013 Student Bloggers
TIANJIN, China – May 12 – June 2
Join Drs. Pat Sanders and Beth Garfrerick for an academic adventure to Tianjin University in Tianjin, China during the intersession in May. The UNA Department of Communications is offering a 3-credit hour course on global communications.
Blogger:
- Kaitlin Chappell, Broadcast journalism
Ni hao! My name is Kaitlin Chappell. I am a junior (soon to be senior) at the University of North Alabama. I am majoring in broadcast journalism and minoring in marketing. My dream is to be a news reporter and eventually an anchor on Good Morning America. I love to talk and I love to meet new people and hear their stories. I love love and laughing. Coffee shops are one of my obsessions. Traveling is another. I will be studying abroad in China for three weeks at Tian Jian University. I will be exploring several different areas of China, learning the language and customs, and meeting the people. I will blog and post pictures and videos to capture my trip. Join me on my adventures in the great land of China.
China – May 12 – June 1
Study art and theatre abroad in China with UNA’s Art Department and Theatre Department. This opportunity includes time in Beijing, Tianjin, Nanjing, plus field trips to historic sites.
Blogger:
- Chelsea Hughes
I am Chelsea Hughes. I graduated from UNA in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications / Theatre and a minor in Geography. After my first Geography class, I fell in love with the world. I found myself wanting to soak up as many cultures as possible and the best way to do this was to TRAVEL! In 2011 I was able to study theatre in New York City. I lived these for 3 months and met people from America, England, Paris, and New Zealand. Our friendships opened so many wonderful doors, one of the being my first trip out of the country. In 2012, I got the amazing opportunity to stay with a friend for two week in London. All of these experiences not only have made me a better actress, but a better human being. Follow me on my next adventure of learning and exploring this beautiful world, and remember: “Not all who wander are lost.”
PERU – May 16 – June 3
Vist the Peruvian Amazon, Colonial Lima, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and the Nazca Lines during a two week adventure in Peru with Drs. Infanger and Pretes. Students may earn Foreign Language and/or Geography credit.
Blogger:
- Brayden Campbell, Entertainment Industry
I have always been fascinated with the world and travel. I love different cultures and meeting new people in new places. I have traveled many places within the states and also spent a month in Okinawa, Japan. Seeing the many different cultures throughout Peru is going to be incredible. Also climbing Machu Picchu and taking a boat ride down the Amazon is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m looking forward to this trip of a lifetime.
Costa Rica – June 29 – July 27
Students study Spanish (basic, intermediate, and advanced levels) at Centro Panamericano de Idiomas Language School for four weeks and earn up to nine hours of UNA credit. They also gain cultural insight by living with Costa Rican host families, and going on excursions to Arenal Volcano and Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific coast, touring a working coffee plantation, and visiting the capital of San José.
Blogger:
- Olivia Grace Melvin, Sociology
Hi, everyone! I’m a 20-year-old senior majoring in Sociology and minoring in Psychology and Spanish. I’m originally from Puyallup, WA, but I’ve lived in six states since then with my six brothers and sisters. Visiting Costa Rica will be my first time leaving the country, but I hope it will be a precursor for future traveling adventures!
2012 Bloggers
Tanzania, Africa – May 13 – 31
The Africa Study Abroad Program at the University of North Alabama (UNA) is conducted by faculty at the Department of Geography. It is directed by Dr. Francis Koti and Dr. Greg Gaston. Under this program, UNA students travel to an African country accompanied by the two professors and learn about the geography of Africa through travel and personal experiences. At this time, the country of focus is Tanzania in East Africa. Major program highlights include: urban dynamics and economic activities in the cities of Arusha and Dar es Salaam; urban and rural land use in Tanzania; Ngorongoro crater and other volcanic features in the East African Rift Valley; Olduvai Gorge; Lake Natron; Engare Sero River gorge and waterfall; settlement in the Rift Valley; the Island of Zanzibar, and the historical geography of the East African coast. The program will take place during the May Intersession in 2012.
Blogger:
- Amanda Smith, Graduate Geography
Hello everyone, this is Amanda. I am a graduate student in the Geography Department’s Geo-Spatial Science Program and an assistant for the Physical Geography field labs. I am from the ‘big town’ of Lutts, TN (you may have seen one of the numerous signs pointing to there, but probably never actually been there.) I graduated from Waterloo High School. I have a long background at UNA. I received my BA in Sociology and my MA Ed in Secondary Education from UNA. I am also a firefighter/EMT. I love helping people and teaching all ages. I enjoy anything to do with the outdoors – from gardening to kayaking, to camping and hiking.
China – May 13 – June 3
Bloggers:
- Josh Hale, Geography Major
My name is Josh Hale. I am a Junior majoring in Business Geography. I anticipate graduating in Fall 2013. I am from a small town in Tennessee, and this is my first experience traveling outside the United States. I am looking forward to seeing the country of China from a geographical perspective as well as a business one. I hope to give my followers an idea of exactly how life is in China, and hope to enhance their knowledge of one of the upcoming economic powers of the world.
- Jennifer Newton, Art Major
Peru – May 16 – June 1
Bloggers:
- Mack Cornwell, Marketing and Public relations
I’m a 22-year-old Junior at the University of North Alabama majoring in Marketing and Public relations . I am originally from Montgomery, Ala. but spent years in Europe and Seattle, Wash. while working with Americorps post graduation of high school. I will be spending the summer traveling to Peru, Mexico, France, Brussels, Germany, England, Scotland, and China. I look forward to documenting my travels and hope to encourage other students to further their education through experiential education and academic travel with our university.
- Andrea Watson, Spanish and International Studies
Hey hey! My name is Andrea Watson and I am 23 years old. I just graduated with a BA in Spanish and International Studies. I have had the opportunity to travel to different areas of the world and to study abroad twice in Costa Rica, so I could not pass up a chance to go to Peru. I love learning about cultures and I love meeting new people. Hopefully, with the Spanish that I know, I will be able to make some connections with the locals and gain a little insight on what it is like to be a Peruvian. Also, we are going to be seeing some amazing sights that I have heard are breathtaking! I cannot wait to see it all and to share it all! So… ¡Vámonos!
London – July 1 – 28
The UNA London Campus Program is designed for advanced undergraduates and graduate students interested in undertaking substantial research in British Studies. Students live and work in historic Bloomsbury in Central London minutes from cultural, educational and historical sites known the world over. This one month, six-credit hour faculty-led experience takes London as its classroom and allows students to be totally immersed in British culture and the scholarly life.
Blogger:
- Mack Cornwell, Marketing and Public relations
I’m a 22-year-old Junior at the University of North Alabama majoring in Marketing and Public relations . I am originally from Montgomery, Ala. but spent years in Europe and Seattle, Wash. while working with Americorps post graduation of high school. I will be spending the summer traveling to Peru, Mexico, France, Brussels, Germany, England, Scotland, and China. I look forward to documenting my travels and hope to encourage other students to further their education through experiential education and academic travel with our university.