Q: Initially, what made you decide to study abroad? Why did you choose your program?
A: I wanted to get a new cultural experience in a location where I would be the minority. I chose my program because it was somewhere I've never been to and it has the classes I've been wanting to take here at home but can't because their not offered.
Q: What was the highlight of your study abroad experience?
A: Meeting my friends who I dearly miss.
Q: What was your greatest challenge abroad and how did you overcome it?
A: I failed a course there. I haven't over come it yet since I'm still trying to figure out how to make it better. I'm a student with a 3.5 gpa so failing a class really brought me down.
Q: How did your coursework abroad compare to your courses at UC Merced?
A: It was very different. Coursework there was purely research papers. There was very little assignments to be completed. Your grades usually were only your final grade - which caused a lot of me and my friends to fail. You only have one opportunity to prove that you learned the material.
Q: What did you gain from your study abroad experience?
A: Trauma, how to cope with racism, and how to cope with failing a class.
Q: What advice do you have for students considering study abroad?
A: Look into the univeristy you plan on going to really well! Look at how their classes go, how they grade the classes, how the environment is like, are they semester or quarter system, what is it like if your a POC to travel there, be mentally ready to experience racism if your a POC, be ready to spend a lot of money to survive.
Q: Describe a typical day abroad.
A: I would wake up in the morning, take a shower, get ready for class. Would walk to class or take the city bus. Get to class for about 2 hours and then head back home. Study for the rest of the night then work on a hobby. Go to bed after.
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?
A: Back to Barcelona. It was one of the few locations in Europe that I traveled to where I felt fully respected.
