Q: Initially, what made you decide to study abroad? Why did you choose your program?
A: I visit Taiwan every year to see family but I wanted to do something with my time there and get the chance to explore more of the city. I also wanted to understand the public health concerns of a country with a different population, climate and problems.
Q: What was the highlight of your study abroad experience?
A: The people I met made all the difference in my study abroad experience. I got to visit places that weren't on my radar with them and got a community to understand what I was going through.
Q: What was your greatest challenge abroad and how did you overcome it?
A: I was stressed about spending too much money abroad, especially towards the end of my time abroad but when I voiced my concerns to my friends, they were able to help me still find fun activities to do without the fear of breaking the bank.
Q: How did your coursework abroad compare to your courses at UC Merced?
A: Because I only had research and a cultural class, I had a lot of time to explore. The coursework was very manageable, however, I do know people that had professors that had them come in a lot more often for research. Students there to learn mandarin also had more of a workload when it came to assignments.
Q: What did you gain from your study abroad experience?
A: I got to learn more about PFAS, microplastics, and metabolites. While doing research, I also got to relate knowledge from previous classes to real life applications. The friends I made along the way will also one day turn into connections.
Q: What advice do you have for students considering study abroad?
A: Find someone that is familiar with the language spoken in that country. I was lucky enough to speak mandarin fluently, but I had a lot of friends that had to rely on me to translate, especially when we went outside the touristy areas of Taipei.
Q: What do you wish you learned about studying abroad before you left for your program?
A: I wish I knew exactly what my professor expected of me when it came to the research and that I had discussed with her what I was hoping to gain from the opportunity to find a compromise for what my research would look like.
Q: Describe a typical day abroad.
A: Breakfast from the convenient store, go to class/lab, eat lunch near which ever campus I was closest to, explore the city, dinner with friends.
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?
A: I would like to go to Italy. Though I do not speak the language, I have been there twice with family. I would love to explore it on my own. Having an Italian last name also has an influence on my interest in the country. I would love to learn more about my ancestors and go to Sicily, where my family is from.
