Studying Abroad is an opportunity to learn and live in another country, the types of experiences we read in romance novels and see in movies but the opportunity not many take advantage of when they have it at their fingertips. In this blog I will be writing about how I learned about the study abroad programs offered at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) and how I jumped at the opportunity when I found the program fit for me.
Background
Growing up I was raised in a household that spoke 2 languages English and Spanish, so when I entered junior high I wasn't interested in taking Spanish like everyone else; instead I decided to take French. Not necessarily because I had envisioned that I would go to France one day, it was just to have another language under my belt. I would continue to take French classes throughout high school through dual enrollment at SBCC; later in early 2020 I began looking at study abroad programs in Quebec to practice my French in an area that mainly spoke French but wasn't too far from home. That plan was quickly shut down when the COVID-19 pandemic hit later that year and everything was canceled. I continued to take online french classes at SBCC, graduating high school and entering SBCC as a Biology major going on the fast track to finish in two years, and transfer to a 4-year.
My love for practicing French and interest in studying in a different country never diminished. Except with the fast track I was on there was no "room" for me to take time and study abroad due to the heavy class load my major entailed until there was. My final semester at SBCC I got burned out and wasn't able to finish a class that the UC’s wanted. So instead of choosing any other school to attend I decided to retake and finish the class in the fall semester, reapply to the UC’s for fall 2025 and take the gift of time I was given to apply for study abroad programs offered by SBCC.
Programs Galore
When it came time to choose what program I wanted to apply to, SBCC made it very easy to find what programs they offered, All I did was search SBCC Study Abroad programs and an organized page popped up with all of the programs SBCC offered. The page gives information as to how long the programs run for, what will be taught abroad and how much they would cost to attend. From there I was able to choose the program that best fit my interest. I applied to two programs: English, Art History and Italian language in Rome, Italy in Spring of 2025 and Natural History and Geography in Syracuse Sicily Italy.
*When applying to programs like this make sure you apply well in advance as sometimes the programs tend to fill up more quickly than expected. I applied to both programs in early August and to my surprise found that there was already a waitlist for the program in Rome. That being said, if you are set on a program when it first comes out, apply as soon as possible to secure your spot.
I chose Sicily as the program I would take part in because not only is it in one of the most gorgeous cities in Italy, but also due to the program directors who are leading the course. When it came to the interview process of the application with professor Matt Kay, I could feel the excitement of professor Kay; who would be leading the trip alongside side Professor Armstrong, describing what we would be learning in Italy, and what to expect while we are in Sicily. His enthusiasm and excitement for the program made me even more eager to join the program as I could sense the passion and excitement by the professor leading the program.
*That being said when choosing a program don’t just choose a program based on the destination take in consideration what you will be learning and who you will be learning from.
Scholarships
After deciding to head to Sicily, it was time to apply for scholarships and with that the SBCC study abroad page was very helpful in providing a full page of all the scholarships that SBCC students can and should apply to if they are heading abroad. Here you will also find a website called “Fund my travels” which is a website that helps you create a gofund me like page where you can have people donate to help you study abroad. Finally when choosing to study abroad keep in mind you may want a little extra money to spend while abroad on food, solo trips or gifts for your friends and family back home when you come back, maybe a souvenir for yourself. So if you don't have a job yet it would be a good idea to find a part time job that aligns with your schedule to start saving up for your time abroad as having a little extra money never hurts.
I hope to whomever is reading this blog you have found it informative on the resources SBCC provides its students and if you are in a position where you want to study abroad but feel that you can't because you don't have “time” or other reasons, just think to yourself when will you ever make time for yourself to do something like this. SBCC also offers a variety of scholarships students can apply for to help students on their time abroad. Thanks for reading and best of luck. Mia Naomi
About the writer:
Hi there!! My name is Mia Nungaray Ruiz, I am a local girl born and raised in Goleta CA. Born with tons of energy to burn, if you don’t find me in the classroom I am most likely swimming laps in the pool, enjoying the sunshine by walking/hiking with my dog Willow, baking or reading a thriller/RomCom. I’ve always had a love for the outdoors and animals, spending summers with my family hiking, swimming and taking care of our horses and chickens was the highlight of my summers growing up; which always ensured me that when I grew up I would pursue a career in the Biology field. Thus on this blog you will find how I learned about the SBCC study abroad program, deciding when and which program fit me best and steps I took to be able to take part in an opportunity like studying abroad.
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