Meet Our 2018 Study Abroad Bloggers!

Xiana Chin

Studying in: Madrid, Spain

Hey, I’m Xiana Chin. I’m a senior studying international Relations and Finance. I was born in Taiwan, raised in Hong Kong, and moved to Boston two years ago for university. I’ve moved around when I was young and I love traveling so I thought why not study abroad before I get pinned down by work. I chose to go to Madrid because I’ve always wanted to learn Spanish, and the best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in the culture. I will be taking Spanish and Cross-cultural Communications for a month through International Studies Abroad (ISA).

Jennifir Huston

Studying in: Kassel, Germany

Hallo!  My name is Jennifir Huston.  I am a single mother, floral designer, and student who decided it is not too late in life to not only continue my education but study abroad as well.  I am an English major with a minor in Creative Writing and German.  I have always had a love of Germany since I lived there as a young girl.  Now that my daughter is graduating from high school I am excited to embrace the opportunity to study for a summer in Kassel, Germany.  I look forward to not only studying at the University of Kassel, but to explore the culture, food, people, art, literature, museums and so much more!  It is never too late to be adventurous!

Marcelo Daros

Studying in: Sevilla, Spain

Hola! My name is Marcelo Daros, I’m currently a Junior at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and I’m majoring in International Management. I decided to study abroad for many reasons, such as, to learn about a new culture, practice a different language, and enrich my academic skills. My major requires a knowledge of different cultures and adaptation; therefore, I will be studying in Sevilla, Spain in the following semester. Traveling and getting out of comfort zone is one of the things I love to do, and immersing myself into a brand-new environment for an entire term will be a great experience and opportunity.

Edson Robeldano

Studying in: Córdoba, Argentina

Hola! My name is Edson Robledano and I’m currently a senior and a communications major at UMass Boston. I’m a very passionate of picture taking, video filming, and am a skilled drummer and musician. I’m a very adventurous person who is outgoing and loves to travel. I have taken the favorable time to participate in the Spanish Studies Abroad program to travel to Cordoba, Argentina. In this opportunity I’m going to explore the Argentinian culture, language, customs like drinking “mate”, trying their famous meats and “asados”, and learn why they are considered the most passionate country of South America.

Manal Khan

Studying in: Giessen, Germany

Hello! My name is Manal Khan and I am an incoming junior honors student studying Biology at UMass Boston. At UMass, I spend my time working as a peer mentor, chemistry tutor, and in research. I love to help and support students to encourage them to not give up and realize that they can indeed work hard to accomplish their goals. Studying abroad is something that I have always dreamt of because I believe that it is an experience where I will be exposed to new ways of thinking, will meet new people, will learn to become more independent, etc. I believe that it is a valuable experience that will allow for self-growth. I will be spending my summer studying abroad in Germany, a country that I have always wanted to visit. I am particularly excited to learn more about its history, culture, and learning how to speak German. I hope you stay tuned to read and explore Germany with me!

Kathlyn Almeida

Studying in: Rome, Italy

Hello! My name is Kathlyn Almeida and I’m a senior at UMass Boston. I usually go by Kat and I study communication and cinema studies. You can find me running around with a camera either taking pictures or filming something and I’m excited to be going to Italy fall 2018. Traveling is a big thing in my family and my culture however my family goes to relax, and I go to learn more about the culture. I feel like I should end this with a cheesy quote so, to change the world you need to understand it.

Joshua Hoerr

Studying in: Beijing, China

Hello everyone! My name is Joshua Hoerr, though I have taken Yue Shu Ya as my Chinese name. I am a Biology major here at UMass, with hopes to graduate and pursue my M.B.A. In high school, I studied Chinese for all four years, and I took two semesters of Chinese in college. I chose a study abroad in Beijing, China because I wish to accelerate my Chinese learning. I am very excited to travel to China, immerse myself in the culture, and learn about Chinese investments. I am twice as excited to take you on this journey with me! I wish to be your guide through a foreigner’s experience of Chinese culture.

 

Read their blogs here.