Evan Kaplan | UCB Study Abroad

"Have as much fun as you can and seize every moment. Try to make friends early and throughout the program and never feel like you are out of place. Everyone is going through the same experience, experience it with them!"

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

I wished to study abroad but could not do so during a normal term so the summer was best for me. I wanted to explore the culture of the world and experience living in a city abroad for an extended period of time.

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

I am Jewish and knew going into the program that I wanted to try to meet other Jewish people.

Describe a typical day for you abroad.

I would wake up and go to keynote speech and then have lunch with my friends/group. Then I would go into a work room to work on the project that we were tasked with: to create a startup. After, I would get dinner with my friends/team and hang out/party each night.

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

I took two courses, one which taught me know to become a leader and an entrepreneur and then the other taught how to make a startup from the ground up. These courses were very interactive, gamified, and project-based, a set of adjectives I wish applied more to Berkeley courses.

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?

I don't believe I changed majorly but I was able to hone in on my sense to explore.

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

Traveling to the Azores with half of my cohort, experiencing the deep beauty that the islands had to offer.

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

I would say that dealing with the language barrier was a challenge but not a concern as it was merely instructional as I had to learn to communicate in different ways and through people who knew the language better.

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

Have as much fun as you can and seize every moment. Try to make friends early and throughout the program and never feel like you are out of place. Everyone is going through the same experience, experience it with them!