Q: Initially, what made you decide to study abroad? Why did you choose your program?
A: I work at the Office of International Affairs and this had a huge influence on my decision to study abroad. I was under the impression that studying abroad was too complicated for transfer students, but while in my position at the office, I learned that studying abroad is extremely accessible.
Q: How do you think COVID-19 uniquely impacted what you learned as a study abroad student?
A: I don't think that covid had much of an impact as a study abroad student. The particular country that I was in had little covid restrictions at the time and I had a fully in-person class schedule.
Q: What was the highlight of your study abroad experience?
A: The highlight of my study abroad experience was becoming good friends with people all over the world. It was heartbreaking to leave knowing that even if I were to see these people again, it would be years into the future. Having good friends from countries across the globe taught me so much about friendship, risk taking, and a lot about myself. Meeting all these different people expanded my world view in a way I was not prepared for.
Q: What was your greatest challenge abroad and how did you overcome it?
A: My greatest challenge abroad would be how unprepared I was to be interpreted in the contexts of Irish society. I am half white and half mexican but, growing up in California, I have always been surrounded by people who looked like me. Phenotypically, I look pretty ambiguous, but it isn't uncommon for people back home to just assume that I am white. As you can imagine, there are not many mexican people in Ireland, and it was as if people knew instantly that I was not fully white. Unfortunately, I experienced a significant amount of racism and was the target of racial slurs for incorrect ethnicities as well, including an alarming amount of anti-asian comments. This was difficult to deal with because I had never been the only non-*fully* white person in my classes/community before, and it was very isolating to be the only mexican person I knew in Ireland.
On top of this, I experienced a decent amount of anti-american dialogue. While I have my own critiques about the United States, it was shocking to be on the receiving end of stereotypes like unhealthy lifestyles, violence in schools, and the assumption that I would be less knowledgeable than my other classmates because of my nationality.
Q: How did your coursework abroad compare to your courses at UC Merced?
A: I found the coursework to be quite manageable. As I was informed before studying abroad, my final essay was often my sole assessment for my entire grade in my classes. However, I wouldn't necessarily say that the content was more difficult than classes back home. If anything, the absence of busy work made it much easier for me to develop a work/life balance. I made sure to prioritize my readings and came to class prepared to discuss. Because of this, I never felt blindsided by any assignments/etc. I did get sick towards finals, but it was very easy to reach out to my counselor and ask for an extension.
Q: What did you gain from your study abroad experience?
A: Because of the university that I chose to study at, I have now been a student at a community college, a large public university, and an international private university. Due to this, I feel like I have well exercised my learning methods and become a more flexible student. I feel like this is very valuable because as someone that would like to work in education, I've been able to experience many different teaching practices and learning environments, making me a more well-rounded student and future teacher.
I also gained the experience to travel to more countries in a year than I have in my entire life. It was priceless for me to be able to experience so many different cultures and explore cities I had always dreamt of going to.
Q: What advice do you have for students considering study abroad?
A: The desire to travel while studying abroad is very tempting. I believe that it is absolutely possible to travel during your time abroad, but you can't forget that you're here to study. If traveling is something you know you want to do, I highly recommend inputting assignment dates and deadlines from your syllabi into something like google calendar (yes, including readings). This way, you have a clear view of what you need to get done and when, so it's easier for you to plan your travels around the academic schedule. I personally would complete readings/assignments early if I knew the due date was right before/after I wanted to travel. This made it so I had very little stress about my academics and could travel knowing that my work was covered.
Q: Describe a typical day abroad.
A: I would wake up in my apartment and check the weather. My apartment was roughly 15 minutes from my campus, and depending if it was raining or not, I would either walk or take the tram. I'd layer up and make my way to campus. After my first class, which was typically pretty early, I'd go to my favorite coffee shop that was a short walk from campus. Here I'd get some breakfast and do homework in between classes. After this, I'd attend the rest of my classes for the day and usually spend an hour or two in the library. It's hard for me to study at home, so I liked to be done with my work before I left campus for the day. At around 5pm, I'd hop on the tram by campus and get off on the stop closest to my favorite grocer. I shopped at one store for most of my groceries, and a local stand by my apartment for produce. It was typical for me to go to the grocery store every other day. Once I got home, I'd make dinner for myself and maybe one of my flatmates. Once we all finished our work for the day, my friends and I might go to a pub around the corner from our apartment and talk for a few hours. Most students went home on the weekends in Ireland, so it was common to go to pubs on weekdays to socialize and meet new people. After that, we'd usually be home around 10pm.
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?
A: I would go to Mexico because I want to visit the countries that my family is from. While studying abroad, I was able to visit Scotland, which is where my mom's family is from. Now, I'd like to visit Mexico because that is where the rest of my family is. While in Scotland, I realized how much it meant to me to be back in my ancestor's homeland. Since I traveled there, I have wanted to go to Mexico and visit the areas my family is from.
