UCEAP Students from UC Santa Cruz

All the Ways Study Abroad Tests and Strengthens Your Identity

Three UC students discover how study abroad transforms identity in unexpected ways. Their stories reveal that studying abroad doesn’t require choosing between who you are and who you might become—instead, it creates space for both authentic identity and personal growth.

How To Talk With Your Family About Study Abroad

Three UC students share heartfelt advice on navigating family concerns about study abroad, especially for first-generation and Hispanic students. Drawing from personal experience, they offer a step-by-step guide to transform parental worry into support, emphasizing how thoughtful planning and open communication can help students pursue their dreams while honoring family bonds.

Beyond the Semester: Why a Year Abroad Changes Everything

UCEAP students who studied abroad for a year share why “more is better” when it comes to international education. Through personal stories of transformation, they reveal how a full year abroad allows you to feel an even deeper connection to their community, campus, and culture abroad.

How to Grow Confidence Abroad: Lessons from My Barcelona Garden

By Brooke McKenna Taylor (UC Santa Cruz),...

Why We Went: Seven Different Reasons to Study Abroad

Contributors: Elina Dern (UC Irvine), Finn...

How a Broken Wrist in Barcelona Taught Me Resilience

By Lila Franco (UC Santa Cruz) Growing up, I was...

Dear Lily: A Love Letter to My Montreal Dream

by Lily Frohlich (UC Santa Cruz) When I was...

The 4 H’s of Study Abroad: Honeymoon, Hostility, Humor, and Home

Studying abroad is a roller coaster of emotions and experiences. Read the advice shared by Tanesia Williams (UC Santa Cruz) regarding the 4 H’s of study abroad: honeymoon, hostility, humor, and home to better understand the experience.

3-minute Travel Guide: Aarhus, Denmark

What is it like to study abroad in Aarhus, Denmark? Check out Emma Castleberry’s (UC Santa Cruz) tips and advice on saving money, managing the weather, avoiding blisters and making friends.

3-minute Travel Guide: Seoul, South Korea – Edition C

What would it be like to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea? Read UC Santa Cruz’s Griselda Carolina Torres’ advice on where to study, classes you have to take, and must-try local dishes. Griselda shares tips on what to pack, what to leave behind, and how to fit in.

How To Talk With Your Family About Study Abroad

How To Talk With Your Family About Study Abroad

Three UC students share heartfelt advice on navigating family concerns about study abroad, especially for first-generation and Hispanic students. Drawing from personal experience, they offer a step-by-step guide to transform parental worry into support, emphasizing how thoughtful planning and open communication can help students pursue their dreams while honoring family bonds.

Beyond the Semester: Why a Year Abroad Changes Everything

Beyond the Semester: Why a Year Abroad Changes Everything

UCEAP students who studied abroad for a year share why “more is better” when it comes to international education. Through personal stories of transformation, they reveal how a full year abroad allows you to feel an even deeper connection to their community, campus, and culture abroad.

How to Grow Confidence Abroad: Lessons from My Barcelona Garden

How to Grow Confidence Abroad: Lessons from My Barcelona Garden

By Brooke McKenna Taylor (UC Santa Cruz), studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain If there is one thing known about me, it is that I love the color green. I love the green found at my home university, in the redwoods, in the seaweed by the seashore, and in the rolling...

Why We Went: Seven Different Reasons to Study Abroad

Why We Went: Seven Different Reasons to Study Abroad

Contributors: Elina Dern (UC Irvine), Finn Kopczynski (UC Santa Cruz), Amber Rivera-Munoz (UC Los Angeles), Harry Shih (UC San Diego), Sarah Zhang (UC Berkeley), Natalia Hackbarth (UCSD) and London Perelli (UC Berkeley), 2024 blog writing contestants Why would anyone...

How a Broken Wrist in Barcelona Taught Me Resilience

How a Broken Wrist in Barcelona Taught Me Resilience

By Lila Franco (UC Santa Cruz) Growing up, I was always a cautious kid. I recall frequently mentioning that I had never broken a bone throughout my life. I have also always been a very superstitious person, frantically searching for the nearest piece of wood to knock...

Dear Lily: A Love Letter to My Montreal Dream

Dear Lily: A Love Letter to My Montreal Dream

by Lily Frohlich (UC Santa Cruz) When I was entering high school, I wrote a letter to my college-bound self. It opened with the line: "Dear Lily, I hope that as you are reading this, you are on a plane headed to Canada." When I signed up to spend a quarter of my...

3-minute Travel Guide: Aarhus, Denmark

3-minute Travel Guide: Aarhus, Denmark

What is it like to study abroad in Aarhus, Denmark? Check out Emma Castleberry’s (UC Santa Cruz) tips and advice on saving money, managing the weather, avoiding blisters and making friends.

3-minute Travel Guide: Seoul, South Korea – Edition C

3-minute Travel Guide: Seoul, South Korea – Edition C

What would it be like to study abroad in Seoul, South Korea? Read UC Santa Cruz’s Griselda Carolina Torres’ advice on where to study, classes you have to take, and must-try local dishes. Griselda shares tips on what to pack, what to leave behind, and how to fit in.

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Phone: 805-893-4762
Editorial Team: californianabroad@uceap.universityofcalifornia.edu
Media Inquiries: communications@uceap.universityofcalifornia.edu
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 am – 4 pm

UCEAP
420 S Fairview Ave
Suite 202
Goleta, Calif. 93117