Natalie Olivares

I chose to study abroad because I knew doing so while in college would be easiest. Thanks to my financial aid, living abroad was much less expensive than it would have been if I waited until after graduation. Furthermore, studying abroad allowed me to actually live in a different country as opposed to simply visiting. I was able to explore more and immerse myself in English culture.

As a woman of color, I prepared myself to experience prejudice, knowing that Europe would likely be less welcoming to someone of my race and ethnicity. I chose England because as a woman, I wanted to be able to communicate with the people around me in case of an emergency, and their population is diverse in comparison to other European countries, which led me to feel safer within its community.

I lived in campus housing, only five minutes away from the train, which I rode 30 minutes every day to get to the KCL main campus. The campus was in the middle of one of London's many theater districts, which as a theater major, was very exciting. I went to my lectures and discussions and went back to the train station to get home. On weekends, I spent my time visiting museums, which were free in London.

I recommend that students not be afraid to take risks. Immersing oneself in a different culture is extremely shocking, but once it happens, it is liberating to know that regardless of cultural differences, people are the same everywhere. We all live in ways that are similar, and we all enjoy very similar things.