Q: Initially, what made you decide to study abroad? Why did you choose your program?
A: I decided to study abroad to learn more about different cultures around the world. Growing up, my parents would always take me and my siblings traveling either in the US or to Mexico. Having this background really helped me navigate a new country by myself and allowed me to explore. I chose to study abroad in Barcelona, Spain since it is a Spanish speaking country with rich culture and history. My goal was to deepen my Spanish-speaking skills as well as grow closer religiously by familiarizing myself with the historical landmark, Sagrada Familia.
Q: What was the highlight of your study abroad experience?
A: While studying abroad, I became friends with other international students from different parts of the world. Hanging out and studying with them made the experience 10x better since we were all going through the same type of experience. Also, being able to travel to other countries without family was a very unique experience to me. As much as I love being back home, part of me misses exploring other parts of the world.
Q: What was your greatest challenge abroad and how did you overcome it?
A: Since I consider myself a huge family person, the greatest challenge of my study abroad experience was having to say goodbye to my family for four months. When I first arrived abroad, I felt completely alone and sad. I would look at pictures of me and my family together a lot which made me miss them even more. Getting over this feeling was hard overall, but I learned that studying abroad is only a short portion of the many years of your life. I would tell myself that not everyone has the same opportunity and that these feelings will pass. Shifting my perspective to a more positive one helped me overcome the feeling of loneliness from missing my family. Also, sharing videos with them and FaceTiming them a lot would be helpful.
Q: How did your coursework abroad compare to your courses at UC Merced?
A: The coursework was very different for me. For all of my classes, there was no homework being given to reinforce the learning in class, so I had to study a lot more for the exams.
Q: What did you gain from your study abroad experience?
A: One of the best things I took away from this program was being able to grow more independently. From planning what I was going to cook for the day to
figuring out how to fly to another country by myself, I was constantly learning how to navigate a new country all alone. Studying abroad made me realize that our capabilities out-weigh our doubts.
Q: What advice do you have for students considering study abroad?
A: My advice would be to just do it. What was scary for me was committing to something I had no idea if I was going to like, but now that I've came back from study abroad I can confidently say that it was an unforgettable experience and I'm very happy with the decision I made. I was also considering the pros and cons of studying abroad, and the positive always outweighed the negative. I knew that if I didn't decide to study abroad, I would have been left with the thought of 'what if I did'.
Q: What do you wish you learned about studying abroad before you left for your program?
A: I wish I knew more about how signing up for courses worked. Initially, the advisors in my program asked for your top four courses, along with backups. I thought these four courses were finalized but four weeks into the program, the advisor told me the class was full and that I was not able to get all of my top four choices.
Q: Describe a typical day abroad.
A: A typical day in Barcelona for me looked like this:
8AM: Wake up and get ready for school/eat breakfast
9AM:Go on the metro to campus (usually took around 45mins)
10AM-12PM: In class
12PM: Take the metro back home and eat lunch
2PM: Take a nap
3PM: Study for classes
5PM: Go to a workout class at the gym near my house
7PM: Shower and go out with my friend for dinner or make dinner at home
10PM: Go to sleep
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?
A: I would go to Machu Picchu next since I really want to see the Seven Wonders of the world.
