Postcards Abroad

My Life in Postcards

Hi everyone! I’m Julia Karpinsky, a senior at the University of Alabama. During my junior year, I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad in Barcelona, where I took a course on Digital Blogging and Storytelling in the 21st Century. It was one of the most eye-opening and inspiring experiences of my life.

When asked to create a semester-long blog, I immediately knew I wanted to document my travels across Europe, stepping out of my comfort zone and immersing myself in new cultures. The name for my blog came to me while standing in a small gift shop outside La Sagrada Familia during one of my first days in Spain. I saw a kiosk of postcards and was inspired to capture each country I visited by writing about my experiences as if on the back of a postcard from that city.

Throughout the semester, I shared itineraries, recommendations, and reflections from each destination—highlighting local museums, restaurants, landmarks, and hidden gems that brought European culture to life. Studying abroad allowed me to grow personally and creatively, and I hope my stories encourage others to embrace their own transformational journeys abroad.