Q: Initially, what made you decide to study abroad? Why did you choose your program?
A: Since learning about the opportunities of studying abroad in high school, I was excited to start my college education and had a strong motivation to perform well in my courses. Because my parents were immigrants, we had neither the funds nor the prospect of travelling outside of California, let alone the United States so naturally, the idea of simultaneously receiving a college education and travelling abroad was an exciting opportunity for me. I chose the Australia+Solomon Islands program because 1) it's Australia, mate and 2) I am a declared Earth Systems Science major and considered a program that would correspond with my natural sciences requirements as well as a potential career in environmental sustainability and research.
Q: What was the highlight of your study abroad experience?
A: The highlight of my study abroad experience was the final week of our stay in the Solomon Islands. Our program group was distributed among families in a rural village called Kindu, Munda that generously agreed to host American students and welcomed us to their home. Throughout our stay, everyone had been extremely kind to us and kept expressing their gratitude for our involvement in assessing risks in community and environmental health since there is limited scientific awareness in the Pacific. The farewell celebration accommodated by the Kindu community had been emotional, as every one of my classmates had created a strong familial bond with their household. An experience like this is truly rare and I am tremendously grateful for it and will cherish the memory of my Kindu family.
Q: What was your greatest challenge abroad and how did you overcome it?
A: The greatest challenge abroad had been finishing extensive assignments in a condensed amount of time. The final report was cumulative of everything that was previously learned and accumulated and was assigned and due in the last 10 days of the program. I had overcome this academic challenge because my group mates and I had a great and cohesive understanding of the assigned literature and was able to connect it well with the results of our capstone research project.
Q: How did your coursework abroad compare to your courses at UC Merced?
A: The coursework at the University of Queensland, Australia was similar to that of the University of California in which assignments and exams were weighted heavily and homework was optional but required to perform well in the courses. The only difference was the way the grading system was scaled though it had worked in our favor.
Q: What did you gain from your study abroad experience?
A: I gained experience in common research activities such as household and key informant interviews, coral reefs and invertebrate surveys, water quality testing, literature reviews, and professional research report writing. Everything was hands-on and personalized and could not have been learned half as well if performed in a classroom setting. I feel more confident in my job applications and the distribution of my resumes because I am now more qualified in performing these tasks. Living in a series of rural islands that were without any internet or developed infrastructure and transportation for an entire month was a humbling experience that changed my perspective of the world and its inhabitants.
Q: What advice do you have for students considering study abroad?
A: The majority of the human population does not have the privilege to even consider travelling abroad or even have access to an education. To be provided the opportunity for both is a gift that should not be taken for granted. I suggest investing as much time and effort as possible in taking advantage of this opportunity to aid in the pursuit of diverse knowledge, future career paths, and personal passions. It is a decision that you will not ever regret making.
Q: Describe a typical day for you abroad.
A: Typical day in Queensland, Australia consisted of biking along the Brisbane River and through hills in the Milton suburb at 9am along with many other Australian commuters to get to the university. Lectures usually ended around 3pm and a couple of classmates and I would travel back to our homestay family for dinner by riding the CityCat ferry. During the weekends however, there was freedom to travel around Australia with classmates or by myself.
There was no "typical" day during our stay at the Solomon Islands. Everyday was an adventure as we did something new. Each day was planned ahead of time by the program coordinator and there was always something to look forward to (besides study days of course).
I sincerely treasure every second of my time spent abroad and would do it all over again.
