Last year, I wrote in my scholarship essay that I wanted to study abroad to continue my mother’s legacy. My mama (who passed away when I was four years old) was an avid explorer who participated in a Peace Corps expedition to Vladivostok, Russia and pursued a career in international law. Her adventurous spirit was gifted to me, and her legacy was revived when she named me “Katia” after her little Russian students. Before coming abroad to the Netherlands for a year, I believed that my experience would help me learn more about my mother’s love for global work and that her passions could live on through me. Although the lessons of grit, cultural adaptation, open-mindness, and self-confidence were undoubtedly gained in both of our experiences, I have realized that this experience is also uniquely mine. In my mission of furthering my mother’s legacy, I have also fostered a legacy of my own.
Before departing for Europe in August 2023, people told me that this experience was a “once in a lifetime opportunity.” “When will you ever have the chance to live in foreign country and be fully immersed in another culture?” they would ask. Other UCEAP students I have met share these sentiments, too. They believed this opportunity is rare and that they would never be able to travel and meet so many new people as easily as they would during this time. Although this perspective helped us cherish every moment of our study abroad, it was too limiting for me.
Meeting peers who have lived in Egypt, Cyprus, Spain, South Africa, and Australia challenged my former paradigm that I only had one chance to live abroad. Hearing an assortment of languages, like: Spanish, German, French, Afrikaans, Korean, and Irish spoken by my roommates heightened my cultural curiosity. This curiosity was only magnified when my French roommate, Louise, let me live with her in Normandy for a week with her family. Experiencing the authentic French countryside life, even for a short while, gave me yet another glimpse of the world. The Dutch’s love of punctuality, cycling, and stroopwafels quickly molded me into sharing those same values. Unpopular opinion, though, but store-bought stroopwafels are much better than freshly baked ones! These special cultural encounters taught me something about myself that I am so grateful to have learned at a young age; I have realized that I want to be abroad for the rest of my life, not constrained to this year. I do not yearn for this study abroad to be a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” but rather, the start of a series of international expeditions. For instance, after I graduate next year I am hoping to do conservation and environmental work in the Maldives, Australia, or New Zealand. I am eager to meet more people of varying backgrounds so that I can develop into a global citizen, a title that you can endlessly improve upon!
When I return to UC San Diego, I am determined to inspire other undergraduate students to study abroad. As a STEM student (I mention this because these degrees often are seen as “restricting” in terms of studying abroad and still graduating on time) from a low-income background, I statistically should not have had the opportunity to be abroad for a year. There is a dangerous stereotype that study abroad students are “rich kids” and that if you are not financially fortunate you are unable to have this enriching experience. I am eager to use my background to demonstrate that not only is a study-abroad program feasible for those genuinely determined to go, but that each student should have a curiosity for international opportunities.
Coming from the US to Europe, my Dutch/EU friends held the belief that Americans are ignorant and have little respect for other cultures. Although harsh (and these unfortunate stereotypes were a difficult misconception for me to overcome), there may be some validity to it. As my peers got to know me better, and I shared my interest in their country/language/backstory, their negative view of the US improved (or I would like to think it did). Establishing these international connections fosters a global community of shared ideas, interests, and goals that is paramount for any improving society. For example, the Netherlands’ academic system does not have a “GPA”, so my Dutch classmates’ goal was simply to pass their courses. I initially believed that this would lead to apathetic, lazy students who did the bare minimum in order to achieve a “satisfactory” mark.
What I actually observed was that the students only focused their energy on subjects that they were genuinely curious about, usually the ones directly related to their degree. Compared to the American education system, I learned that this fostered a better work-life balance while simultaneously inspiring students to pursue their own interests. I have found myself more passionate about courses within my degree, and I have been able to learn the power of prioritizing the more intrinsically motivating tasks.
In my plea for American students to study abroad, I would like to add the necessity of going for an academic year. For me, a year-long experience was a no-brainer, as my mother’s Peace Corps endeavor was two years and my father always emphasized the value of longer stays. Additionally, I lived in Australia for five-months as a foreign exchange student in high school, and even at the age of sixteen I realized that one semester was not sufficient for proper cultural immersion. Undoubtedly, if I had to leave the Netherlands after one semester, I would not have established the same depth of self-growth, relationships with international friends, travel opportunities, and cultural understanding as I have now. Utrecht is my home, whereas after the first four months it still felt foreign to me. Studying abroad should not be an “extended vacation” but a lifelong enrichment opportunity, and I strongly believe that the latter can only be achieved if you are attending for the full academic year.
As I am preparing to return home to California in less than two months, I am truthfully sad to leave behind the most fulfilling year of my life. I hope that my mother would be proud of the risks and opportunities that I have taken, and I think she would be excited that I am creating my own legacy to leave behind throughout the world (just as she did). I am adamant on using the lessons that the Netherlands has taught me to further my international education and continue “studying abroad” for the rest of my life. I will forever carry a deep gratitude for this opportunity and for all those who made it possible for me. Not to be cliche, but this experience truly changed my life, and by proxy so did the donors who funded my trip, the friends who encouraged me, and my mama whose memory forever inspires me to take the most courageous path possible.