UCDSA Assistant
lmmacedo@ucdavis.edu

Study abroad can be life changing – take it from me!  On my study abroad program to Italy in my sophomore year of college, I made life-long friends (both American and Italian), opened my eyes and ears and mind to experiences I would never forget, and realized that I knew so little about the world.  Yes, there were tough times, and yes, I did get homesick.  But I learned to rely on myself, to trust others, and to persevere during difficult times.  The delights and difficulties of study abroad changed how I saw the world and how I saw myself, and helped me decide what I wanted my place in the world to be.  After my time in Italy, I came home and worked at an international student office for eight years.  I was able to meet students from all around the globe, studying at my home university.  I made friends with students from Turkey, who taught me things about Islam that books and news articles hadn’t.  A Palestinian student translated literature from Arabic to English for me.  A Costa Rican student taught me how to dance salsa and cumbia.  As the world we live in grows smaller, and international conflicts take center stage in the news, it is increasingly important for Americans to visit other countries and view the world with open eyes and open minds.  As the Summer Abroad Assistant, I am eager to help students make their dream of study abroad possible.  If you have any questions, or need help, please feel free to come in and talk with me.