Maria Basaldua Del Cid, Alumni Ambassador

HOW DID YOU ENGAGE WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ABROAD?
During my time in Paris, the first thing I did was trying to speak as much French as possible at restaurants and shops and avoiding starting the conversation in English. I did this and it improved my comprehension level. I also believe it's respectful to not assume that they should respond to you in English without giving the language a try.

WHAT'S ONE STORY OR IMPORTANT ASPECT YOU ALWAYS SHARE ABOUT YOUR TIME ABROAD?
I encourage people to be open minded about the culture of the place you are visiting and not be scared by differences because there's always things you could learn from them. This is one of the best ways to grow as a person and take advantage of your experience.