by Virginia O'Connor | Apr 20, 2026 | Europe, Personal Growth, UC Irvine
By Valerie Elizabeth Cruz (UC Irvine) studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland Like many first-generation college students, I started my journey at UC Irvine with a desperate need for a concrete plan. I had no idea what my undergraduate career would manifest, and as a...
by Virginia O'Connor | Apr 20, 2026 | UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz
Contributors: Anai Ramos (UC Berkeley), Danella (Dani) Escalante-Regalado (UC Berkeley), and Emma Baltadano-Bañales (UC Santa Cruz), 2024 blog writing contestants You know your friends and family care about you, and their concerns come from a place of love and...
by Virginia O'Connor | Mar 31, 2026 | Europe, UC San Diego
By Marisol Mendoza (UC San Diego) studied abroad in Barcelona By the time I arrived in Barcelona in August, 2023, I’d already received multiple messages from UCEAP about culture shock. I naively believed that because I spoke Spanish and had briefly visited the...
by Virginia O'Connor | Mar 31, 2026 | Europe, Local Living, UC Berkeley
Contributors: Stella Keval (UC Berkeley) and Max Morena (UC Berkeley), 2024 blog writing contestants Step into the world of Sweden’s oldest universities, where centuries-old traditions blend seamlessly with modern student life to create an experience unlike any other....
by Virginia O'Connor | Mar 31, 2026 | Americas, Local Living, UCLA
By Jamie Stickelmaier (UC Los Angeles), studied abroad in Santiago, Chile There are countless reasons why people study abroad—I was motivated to become fluent in Spanish. While Spanish was my mother’s first language, it was rarely spoken at home. My childhood is full...
