Sara Florez Brinez

I think studying abroad is the best way to be exposed to different cultures and meet new people. One of my dreams was to travel to London and that is why I chose to study in the UK for my first fall semester.

I enjoyed living as a university student in the UK with locals. I learned British slang and became accustomed to their lifestyle.

My biggest challenge was to assert my independence while being the farthest away from home I ever have. I had to learn to live with strangers and solve my own problems. I became more self-aware and proactive.

Cooking breakfast, taking a double-decker bus to class, walking through Soho London or Bloomsbury, then riding the tube back home.

I took R4B, Survey of World history, Theater, and Ancient Empires. Courses at the accent center tended to be much longer than courses at Berkeley. For example, my history class was four hours long! However, I only had it once a week. Homework was manageable and the professors were responsive and approachable. The class size was also a lot smaller than most Berkeley classes.

Growing personally and academically. I learned a lot about my personality and I learned more about what I am and am not passionate about. It helped me discover more about what I want to pursue in the future.

I learned to better recognize my strengths and weaknesses. I also developed stronger friendships and become more responsible.

Take chances! Explore the city and learn from every step-back.