As seniors begin enrolling in college, they can start to look forward to the many opportunities colleges have to offer, such as studying abroad. I interviewed a few Rosary alumnae to get an inside scoop on this awesome experience.
First, I talked to my cousin Elly Esparza ‘21 about her adventures abroad. She is currently a junior at Cal Poly Humbolt and is studying psychology (with an interest in child development) and Spanish. Elly is presently in a city called Nijmegen in the Gelderland province of the Netherlands. She plans to fill her year abroad with many special memories and studies.
Q: What has been your favorite moment so far?
A: My favorite moments have revolved around meeting people from various cultural backgrounds. I loved learning about our differences and feeling my perspective of the world widen. Otherwise, I’ve also been enjoying my bike rides around the city.
Q: What are some common misconceptions about studying abroad?
A: Studying abroad can be scary or lonely, and that’s crucial to learning about yourself and how you navigate independently. However, it hasn’t been lonely for me because I have come to realize that other exchange students are just as nervous and curious about making friends.
Q: Do you recommend studying abroad to other Royals as they go on to college?
A: Although I have only been abroad for nearly a month, I recommend this experience not only to get the chance to travel but also to experience life outside of your bubble. The growth that comes from an experience like this benefits all aspects of your life. For example, you can develop connections for future internships, research work, or higher education like a Master’s degree and PhD. Or, you leave the experience with a more holistic view of the world around you. Taking this chance, I feel, guarantees a satisfying upgrade in your personal life.
Next, I interviewed another Rosary alumna, and former Red and Gold producer: Marysol Cazarez ‘21. She is attending Loyola Marymount University and is majoring in sociology and Spanish, with a minor in Chicano and Latino Studies. However, while abroad, she studied ancient and modern Greek History and took a Managing People and Organization class. Marysol went to Greece and explored the major cities of Delphi, Athens, and Olympia. After the Tour de Greece, she spent the rest of the program on a small island called Spetses.
Q: What was your favorite moment while in Greece?
A: Aside from being able to experience another culture for a long period of time and getting to observe and learn so much, my favorite moment of the whole trip was at the end of the program when my best friend Bella Capps ‘21 came to visit me at the end of my studies, and it was just so amazing seeing a familiar face at the end of the trip and getting to show her around.
Q: What are some common misconceptions about studying abroad?
A: I think a common misconception is that it is all a vacation. I am here to debunk that; there is indeed a school. What was not seen on Instagram was our late study nights trying to figure out what years Greece was in the Byzantine Empire and remembering the effects of the Marshall Plan.
Q: Do you recommend studying abroad to other Royals as they go on to college?
A: I would 110% recommend all Royals to study abroad if you can! It offers such an amazing insight into other cultures and there is so much to learn from other people and their experiences.
Lastly, I interviewed Isabel Alderete ‘21. Isabel currently attends New York University and is a business major with concentrations in sustainable business and management. She studied abroad in Florence, Italy.
Q: What was a fun memory while in Italy?
A: My favorite memory is getting stranded in Cinque Terre. My friends and I hiked through three towns in Cinque Terre, and by the time we made it to the final town, it was 8:30 p.m. The last train headed back toward Florence at 9 p.m., so we were on quite the time crunch. We managed to make it, but once we were on, we realized we were on the wrong train. We ended up getting stuck in Cinque Terre but eventually made our way back to Florence. Even though it was stressful at the time, it was a really funny and amazing moment.
Q: What are some common misconceptions about studying abroad?
A: I think one common misconception is that there will be a language barrier. Florence is a very touristy place, so most people speak English. Even in a bit more remote places, I could still get by speaking Spanish. However, if you do go abroad, I still recommend taking a class in the prospective language (I took an Italian class, and it was really fun to speak broken Italian with Florentines).
Q: Do you recommend studying abroad to other Royals as they go on to college?
A: YES! Even though I just got back from Florence, I already miss it so much. I highly recommend taking this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so you can learn about the other amazing cultures out there.
So as you venture into college, wherever that might be, I encourage you to learn from the amazing experiences of past Royals and explore the world through a study abroad program.
