VIRIDIANA GUERRA ACOSTA, M.S.

STUDENT LIFE COORDINATOR

ALEXANDRIA CAMPUS

One of my most memorable experiences has to be when I studied abroad as a freshman in college. I remember walking by the bulletin board with the advertisement and thought “huh… I may be crazy enough to try this”.

You see, making the decision to go was huge for me because I had never been anywhere outside of Los Angeles County, my hometown, other than to visit family in Mexico. I also did not know anyone in the program and I was about to spend a whole summer with strangers on a different continent!

Needless to say, this was a mind blowing experience. I remember the first night we landed the group and I went to dinner in Puerta del Sol, Madrid and I just looked around at my surroundings in amazement. I felt so grateful!

It took me some time to adjust to the long days, nine-hour difference, and humidity but I got the hang of it quickly. Thankfully, I speak Spanish so language wasn’t a barrier for me. I made many new friends and learned a lot about Spanish culture. I tried new dishes and visited many places like Toledo, Córdoba, and Seville. Above all I learned a lot about myself. I gained the confidence to step out of my comfort zone and to try new things.  I highly recommend studying abroad to all college students.