Isabella Hoang | UCB Study Abroad

"I noticed that the Irish are very friendly and always willing to chat you up. Their slang was fun to learn such as 'having a great craic' which means having a good/fun time."

What led you to study abroad? Why did you choose your country/program?

I chose to study abroad because I thought it was a great opportunity to get a year's worth of physics completed in an eight-week summer program. Also, the opportunity to travel to Europe has always been a dream of mine. I am extremely grateful for both the opportunity and experience.

What was the most interesting cultural experience you had abroad?

The most interesting cultural experience I had abroad would probably be interacting with the Irish people. I noticed that the Irish are very friendly and always willing to chat you up. Their slang was fun to learn such as "having a great craic" which means having a good/fun time.

What was the biggest challenge/concern of your study abroad experience? How did you respond?

The biggest concern of my study abroad experience was balancing academics with traveling. I knew the program would be intensive since the eight-week program covered a year's worth of material. However, when I got there, I made sure that I would stay on top of the material and review daily. On the weekdays, I would not go out as much and made sure I was understanding the material. On the weekends, I would go travel.

Describe a typical day for you abroad.

A typical weekday abroad would be: lecture (9-11AM), tutorial/discussion(11-12PM), lunch in the cafeteria (12-1PM), tutorial/discussion (1-2PM), and on some days I would have lab (2-5PM). Then dinner was at 5-6:30PM. The rest of the day, I would have free time to go to the gym, study, etc.

What coursework did you take while abroad? How did courses abroad compare with Berkeley classes?

I took Physics for Life Sciences 1&2 which is equivalent to Berkeley's Physics 8A and 8B. I think the courses abroad were easier than Berkeley classes.

What was the most memorable/meaningful aspect of your time abroad?

The most memorable aspect of my time abroad would be the daily routine I adapted when I was there. Because there were a lot of places I wanted to explore, I made sure I would study during the week. Making friends within the program and having a community at the university definitely impacted my experience with this program. On the weekends, I had the opportunity to travel around Europe such as Prague or England.

What impact did studying abroad have on you personally?

Personally, studying abroad increased my passion for traveling. I was not a big traveler before studying abroad but now I make more of an effort to explore the world around me.

What would you recommend to students considering studying abroad, especially to your country or program?

I definitely would recommend studying abroad to anyone if their schedule permits it. If you are a STEM major and have a physics requirement, I would recommend the UCD (University College Dublin) program!