Natalia Torrez
Universidad de Los Andes, Fall 2025.
Natalia studied abroad in Colombia to deepen her connection to her heritage while expanding her global perspective, an experience that profoundly shaped her personal and professional goals. Living and learning in Bogotá allowed her to fully immerse herself in the culture, reconnect with her language and family roots, and gain a deeper understanding of the communities she hopes to serve one day as a future surgeon. Surrounded by people from diverse backgrounds, Natalia discovered a renewed curiosity for the world—exploring new cities, enrolling in art classes, learning new languages, and developing confidence through independence in a foreign country. The experience challenged her to grow in unexpected ways, teaching her patience, adaptability, and the power of meaningful relationships across borders. As a Global Ambassador, Natalia is passionate about promoting global education and encouraging students to step beyond their comfort zones, embrace new cultures, and experience the life-changing personal and academic growth that comes from truly living abroad.
Advice for other students: My advice is to set two or three clear goals for what you want to experience and commit to achieving them. My goals were to take a solo trip, improve my Spanish, and study outside my comfort zone. I made each one happen. I traveled solo to the Galápagos, surrounded myself with friends who only spoke Spanish, and enrolled in art classes.
Having defined goals makes decision-making much easier while abroad. It’s also important to be intentional about who you spend time with, especially if improving your language skills is one of your priorities. And beyond that, have fun, stay open-minded, and take every opportunity to explore your host country and the neighboring ones, too.
Houda Slaoui
American University in Cairo (AUC), Fall 2025.
Houda’s study abroad experience in Egypt became one of the most transformative periods of her life, shaping both her personal growth and academic development. Immersing herself in Egyptian culture through travel, conversations with locals, and learning Egyptian Arabic allowed her to build meaningful connections and gain a deeper appreciation for the country’s rich history and diversity. Over the course of her semester at AUC, Houda grew more confident and socially engaged while adapting to a collaborative academic environment that emphasized group projects and presentations.
Beyond the classroom, she gained valuable insight into Egypt’s growing tech scene by competing in and winning first place at the country’s largest AI hackathon, reinforcing her passion for innovation and global collaboration. Inspired by how much she learned and evolved during her five months abroad, Houda hopes to serve as a Global Ambassador to encourage other students to seize similar opportunities for exploration and growth. She is eager to share her experience, connect with prospective study abroad students, and continue developing her creativity, leadership, and communication skills while helping others discover the life-changing rewards of international education.
Advice for other students: My advice for students planning to study abroad is simple: do everything. Talk to everyone. Say yes to every plan. Studying abroad is one of the few times in life when you’re surrounded by people from all over the world, all eager to explore and make memories. Don’t hold back, step outside your comfort zone, try new foods, visit new places, and engage with the local culture as much as possible. The experiences that feel spontaneous or unexpected often become the ones you cherish the most. Embrace every opportunity, because you may never again have a moment quite like this one.
Ava Stratton
CEA CAPA San José, Costa Rica Universidad Veritas; Encuentros con el Mundo Hispano Perú, Summer 2025 & Fall 2025.
Ava’s time studying abroad through UNM became one of the most meaningful and formative periods of her college experience, shaping her identity, academic interests, and global outlook. Exploring new parts of the world helped her develop a deeper sense of gratitude, confidence, and openness to different perspectives, while strengthening her connection to both language and culture. As a Spanish and music student, Ava found that living abroad in Spanish-speaking countries accelerated her language development and fostered a new sense of pride in her bilingualism, paired with humility and curiosity about the vastness of the world.
Through immersion in new communities, Ava gained a broader understanding of shared human experiences, recognizing that people everywhere are navigating challenges, caring for loved ones, and working to make the best of their circumstances. Her experiences abroad also inspired her to think more deeply about how she can serve her own community while continuing to explore the world beyond it. Academically, Ava thrived in project-based learning environments that elevated and accelerated her studies, complementing her learning style and deepening her engagement with her coursework.
Moved by the beauty she encountered in language, nature, and the people she met, from welcoming host families to generous strangers and lasting friendships, Ava hopes to become a Global Ambassador to share the possibilities of studying abroad with future students and encourage them to embrace both global exploration and local connection.
Advice for other students: A piece of advice that I have been pondering over is this: have expectations and be excited so that you are motivated for your experience, but once you arrive, let any expectations that are broken/different be forgotten. Anything different from what you thought will end up being a gift and a learning lesson. Letting expectations go by themselves teaches you one of life’s most valuable skills.
Leah Marquez
Centro de Lenguas Modernas, Fall 2025.
Leah’s study abroad experience in Granada, Spain, transformed her perspective on herself and the world. Coming from a small town in Northern New Mexico, studying abroad once felt out of reach, inspiring her desire to represent underrepresented students as a Global Ambassador and show that international education is possible regardless of background. With academic interests in developmental psychology, she hopes to guide first-generation and minority students through the study abroad process by sharing resources, encouragement, and firsthand insight.
While abroad, Leah overcame challenges such as imposter syndrome and being the first in her family to travel internationally, developing resilience, confidence, and independence along the way. She formed meaningful friendships with people from around the world and gained a deeper appreciation for cultural connections and empathy. Through these experiences, Leah grew into a more self-assured and compassionate individual and is eager to encourage others to step outside their comfort zones and discover the life-changing impact of global education.
Advice for other students: My advice to students interested in studying abroad is to take the opportunity, even if it can be overwhelming and scary at first. These feelings are normal and valid, but change and growth are fostered by pursuing new opportunities. It is important to utilize your resources, study abroad advisors, professors, and family. It is important to seek support and ask questions if you need help. Give yourself grace and time to adapt and adjust to your new environment. Allow yourself to make mistakes, but also open yourself to learning from others and through your experiences. Lastly, I recommend putting yourself into the community and volunteering and or participating in any academic events hosted at your host university/program. These events will help you connect with peers and community members. These events will make your time more meaningful, and you will become more connected with your new environment and culture.
Kalyn Flores
University of Sussex, Fall 2025.
Kalyn’s study abroad experience has been both exciting and challenging, shaping her personal, academic, and cultural growth. Navigating new academic systems, public transportation, and different languages pushed her out of her comfort zone, strengthening her independence, confidence, and resilience. Exploring cities, local traditions, historic landmarks, and regional customs provided Kalyn with firsthand insight into other cultures, while connecting with people from around the world expanded her worldview and taught her the value of cross-cultural understanding.
She documented her journey through photos, writing, and original artwork, using creative reflection to process experiences and track growth, while also building a unique collection of memories, including a growing postcard collection. These experiences not only enriched her understanding of the world but also enhanced her problem-solving, adaptability, and communication skills in academic and everyday settings. Overall, studying abroad has strengthened Kalyn personally and academically, and she hopes to share practical tips, guidance, and inspiration with other students considering international opportunities, helping them embrace the challenges and rewards of global education.
Advice for other students:
- Just do it! Say yes to experiencing as much as you can.
- Plan, but don't stress the plan too much. Things will go "wrong", so embrace it and learn from it. Those moments usually make the best stories.
- Enjoy and document your time abroad in a way that feels right for you.
Selia Lozoya
University of Sheffield, Spring 2025
