Veronica Rodriguez
University of California - Berkeley
Veronica is a senior history major at UC Berkeley and spent a semester studying abroad in Rome, Italy. When asked why she decided to go abroad Veronica says "I've always wanted to travel, and studying abroad while in school seemed like the best way to do it. I was able to travel, experience new cultures and take classes toward my degree at the same time." For Veronica one of the challenges of study abroad was living in a country where she didn't initially speak the language, but at the same time she says “I found that the people were just appreciative that a foreigner was attempting to speak their language."
Talking about the benefits of study abroad Veronica says "As a history major, there is no way to explain how awestruck I was to live in a city that played such a large part in nearly every point of human history (Roman Empire, Italian Renaissance, WWI and WWII). Personally, studying abroad has given me a greater desire to continue traveling and learning about new cultures and people. It made me realize that there is still so much more to see. Study abroad has simply made me a more well-rounded person, which is something that can be brought to any setting, academic or professional."
Veronica admits that she was she a little nervous about leaving a diverse region like California and moving to a country, like Italy, that has only seen immigration and racial diversity in the very recent past. But in the end she says "I never experienced rudeness or hostility for being a student of color. What definitely stood out to me was the fact that most Italians, and Europeans, identified us as American students first and foremost, and not by our various racial or ethnic backgrounds." When asked if she would recommend study abroad to other students Veronica didn't hesitate in saying "Absolutely. Studying abroad challenges the way you identify yourself, the way you see others, and the way you view figurative national boundaries… I loved it."
Do you want to share your study abroad experience with us? Email us @ info@diversityabroad.com
Veronica is a senior history major at UC Berkeley and spent a semester studying abroad in Rome, Italy. When asked why she decided to go abroad Veronica says "I've always wanted to travel, and studying abroad while in school seemed like the best way to do it. I was able to travel, experience new cultures and take classes toward my degree at the same time." 
ill so much more to see. Study abroad has simply made me a more well-rounded person, which is something that can be brought to any setting, academic or professional."