Series of photos of Cierra in Europe.

Cierra Cardenas

Major: Anthropology

Q&A

"Being a young, financially independent, woman of color from Los Angeles has shaped my overall experience in the world and especially affected the way I thought about traveling abroad. In preparing for my study abroad experience I also had to financially prepare, which was both a physical and mental experience because I knew that in order to have one of the most influential periods of my life I needed to be okay with spending money where I wanted to. This made every trip, excursion, and meal that much more special."

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

 As a transfer student I went into my university experience head first and knew that studying abroad would be an incredible experience for my growth as an individual. I chose the Social Justice and Activism program in Paris because of my interest in the history of organizing, revolts, responses to forms of governance, and social movements.

What salient identities do you hold? How did your identity/identities impact the way you prepared for, or chose your study abroad experience?

 Being a young, financially independent, woman of color from Los Angeles has shaped my overall experience in the world and especially affected the way I thought about traveling abroad. In preparing for my study abroad experience I also had to financially prepare, which was both a physical and mental experience because I knew that in order to have one of the most influential periods of my life I needed to be okay with spending money where I wanted to. This made every trip, excursion, and meal that much more special.

Describe a typical day for you abroad.

 A typical school day in Paris included waking up and eating a breakfast at home (usually chia seed pudding, oats, cereal - the easy stuff that doesn't require too much prep) then going to the coffee shop right across from my apartment. Then, I walked around 15 minutes to the Metro, where I would sit for a 20 minute ride to the Accent center. After a few hours of classes, I found myself meeting up with friends in the park, either with a pastry or quiche, until I was ready to go to the seine for a walk or a museum. After returning home, I would get dressed with my roommates to go to a new fun restaurant that we had been wanting to go to that week. Then I returned home for the night.

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

 I took a French class that was once a week.
We were also required to take a city course, once a week.
I took Nation and Identity.
I took a Youth Protests course.
And lastly, I took a picturing social justice course.

These classes were all heavily related and made it different from Berkeley courses. It was also a smaller lecture class, more weekly tests than normal, and much more group work than I am used to.

Often, studying abroad can influence or shift our understanding of our own identities. How did your experiences studying abroad impact your understanding of your own identities? And/or what lessons did you learn in general related to your identities?

 Of course studying abroad made me much more aware of my identity. In a city with increasingly high rates of racism and xenophobia, I was aware that I did not look French, or as White as the rest of the population - however while in the US I am more White passing than my family. Studying abroad impacted how I understood French history and culture as well as my own.

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

 The people that I traveled with and the places I saw with those people changed my experience completely!

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

 The biggest challenge was meeting my basic needs while abroad and figuring out what places I would become dependent on while in Paris. This includes food, medical care, transportation, warm clothes, etc. I responded by tuning into the things that I needed and made sure to seek out those resources.

What would you recommend to students considering studying abroad, especially if they share similar identities and/or are considering your country or program?

 Do not let your biases hold you back and be completely open minded. You have such a short amount of time there and it goes quickly. Say yes to opportunities, go out with your friends, ask questions, and experience this for yourself!