Europe

<p>What happens when a Type-A planner loses her wallet in Berlin? When is a €15 burger worth it? Through five European cities and five crucial questions, Alyson Lee (UC Berkeley) discovers that the best study abroad lessons come from embracing the unexpected. From Paris's Instagram expectations to Madrid's humble revelations, these are the moments that transform tourist experiences into life-changing wisdom.</p>

<p>When California native, Micah-Rose Hoffman, arrived in in Bordeaux for study abroad, she made a surprising discovery: what should have felt foreign instead felt like coming home. Through language learning, cultural immersion, and daily life in France, this student from UC Los Angeles created a second identity for herself—proving that cultural belonging isn't just inherited, it can be built from scratch. Her story reveals how study abroad can help us find versions of ourselves we never knew existed.</p>

<p>When UC Berkeley student Larisa Rodriguez landed in Barcelona for her summer abroad, she arrived armed with color-coded spreadsheets and minute-by-minute itineraries. What she didn't expect was how quickly she'd learn to throw them away. In this guide to genuine cultural immersion, Rodriguez shares her transformation from dedicated planner to spontaneous explorer, offering a three-step approach that took her far beyond the typical study abroad experience.

<p>A first-generation student discovers how embracing uncertainty led to an unexpected adventure in Dublin. What started as a semester abroad transformed into lasting friendships for Valerie Cruz (UC Irvine), turned into surfing the Atlantic Ocean, exploring new academic life, and a future she never imagined – returning to University College Dublin for graduate school.</p>

<p>When fifty friends gathered around a makeshift Thanksgiving table in Edinburgh, they were no longer strangers but family. From joining Scotland's oldest sport to creating nightly traditions in the Warrender dorms, one UC Santa Barbara student shares how she transformed her biggest study abroad fear – loneliness – into an unforgettable story of community and connection.

<p>Solene Granatur, a seasoned solo traveler, shares practical tips and heartwarming moments from her study abroad journey across Europe. From navigating budget airlines to finding community in unexpected places, discover how to make the most of your solo adventures while staying safe and savvy abroad.</p>

<p>As a first-generation student who immigrated from South Korea, (UC Berkeley) Youngseong Ryu's semester in Berlin marked more than just a study abroad experience—it was a milestone in personal growth. Through Berlin's stunning architecture, rich artistic culture, and complex history, he discovered new perspectives that would shape his future as an art educator.</p>

<p>Journey through Florence, Rome, and Barcelona as Yvonne Liu (UC Berkeley) shares all the ways that Mediterranean cuisine and culture intersect to create transformative study abroad moments that reinforce tradition, connection, and discovery.</p>

<p>Growing up in California with years of Spanish classes can make you think you're ready to live in Spain, but real fluency comes not from classes or textbooks. Rather, it comes from embracing the awkward moments and making mistakes. Read (UC Santa Barbara) Aileen Pulchney's humorous and honest adventures of learning to speak Spanish in Madrid.</p>

<p>Trey Timberlake (UC Berkeley), a gay man from Palm Springs, California, challenged his childhood feelings of isolation and otherness as well as his fear of masculinity while studying abroad in Florence, Italy. See why Trey describes study abroad as the most transformative experience of his life.</p>