Name: Grace Woodhouse ’25
Location Abroad: Edinburgh, Scotland
“My abroad experience has been everything I had imagined it would be and more! In terms of placement, I considered all of the options available to Bucknell students but always had Edinburgh in the back of my mind. Its beauty and history are what initially attracted me to the city, but the manageable size and academic variety solidified my choice. I have truly made Edinburgh my second home and would recommend it to anyone considering studying abroad. I am fortunate to be living with Scottish students and attending university alongside people from all over the world. My program, Arcadia, has also given me unique opportunities to immerse myself within the culture, as they host frequent excursions to different parts of Scotland, some of which have included attending ceilidhs, visiting sheep farms, canoeing lochs and hiking to the top of the most beautiful mountains. If you are able to study abroad, do. Reflecting upon the past four months, I have grown a great deal and feel much more confident in my ability to embrace the unknown and experience all that the world has to offer.”
Name: Leah Rakhlin ’25
Location Abroad: Florence, Italy
“I always knew I wanted to study abroad in Italy since I love the culture and ambience, I decided on Florence because I wanted to be in a place that I could quickly and easily feel at home in. Florence is so welcoming and it truly feels magical, everything is walkable and the people are incredibly friendly. Florence is also a great home base for weekend travels to other countries around Europe. I’ve had the chance to visit so many amazing places over the weekends while exploring Florence throughout the week! I 100000% recommend studying abroad here in Florence, it is such a special city and everyone should definitely consider visiting at some point in their lives. One of the most unique aspects of studying here is how much I can immerse myself into the Florentine culture, there are countless opportunities to learn more and engage in hands-on activities to connect with the people and lifestyle.”
Names: Skye Gilbert ’25, Halle Best ’25, Zoe Carlson-Pietraszek ’25, Lilly Noonan ’25, Mia Rothstein ’25, McKay Porter ’25, Ella Bisesi ’25, Ashley Rowen ’25, Liv Mooney ’25
Location Abroad: Sydney, Australia
“We were all really drawn to the lifestyle in Australia and found ourselves eager to explore unfamiliar places vastly different from anything we see in the United States. While our studies are based in Sydney, a pretty extensive city, we are surrounded by beach and greenery, which is really unique. Sydney itself is incredibly unique in that there is beach, city and mountains within a one hour radius – the culture of Australia and the lifestyle is very special in its dedication to activity and spending time outdoors, while we were also fortunate enough to experience summer weather and sunshine for the majority of our time here. We are already planning our next trip back to Australia we have loved it so much and absolutely recommend studying abroad in Sydney because, despite being so far from home, it is a really easy place to get comfortable in and we never found ourselves bored.”
Names: Gavin Sapontzis ’25, Charlie Coyne ’25, Nico Arbes ’25, Quinn Bookbinder ’25, Spencer Lewis ’25, Henry DiGennaro ’25
Location Abroad: Barcelona, Spain
“We decided to study abroad in Barcelona because of the culture, weather, and ease of travel. Barcelona is on the beach and has delicious food such as tapas and paella. The location of Barcelona allowed us to travel to many parts of Europe and to North Africa. Barcelona also has a rich soccer culture. We went to a few FC Barcelona games including the Champions League match against PSG. Currently they play their games at the Olympic Stadium on top of Montjuic, which has views overlooking the entire city.”
Names: Erin Kenney ’25, Sonia Sergeant ’25, Jess Ryan ’25, Shea Coughlin ’25
Location Abroad: Madrid, Spain
“We all decided to study abroad in Madrid to improve our Spanish, while being in the capital of Spain, a classy city with so many historical landmarks to see and easy access to travel to so many new places. Madrid has a lot to offer, a vibrant city with great food options and lots of activities to do. The city itself is stunning, with pretty architecture, lots of gathering plazas and outside areas. The weather is always sunny and has been pretty warm during our time here. The locals are very willing to help and nice to students abroad. One of my favorite spots is the Parque de Retiro. People are always outside gathering in this park or different plazas around the city. We love that Madrid constantly has people socializing outside on the streets. A main aspect of the culture is enjoying a beverage such as sangria and enjoying tapas with friends. The streets are always active and create such a vibrant vibe to the city. Madrid has so much culture and friendly people, they have such an appreciation for life and enjoying the day-to-day activities with friends. The Metro transport system is easy, quick, clean, and cheap so we’re able to go to all parts of the city.”
