I had always been interested in study abroad since I heard about it in high school. To finance my trip, I worked long and hard the summer previous but I also received financial aid through the school (UMM) in the form of grants and loans.

Some of my most significant experiences were living with a host family and being fully integrated into the family, the school and the public. Working in the school allowed me to meet many people--teachers and students alike. Through these contacts, I was able to experience life in the city I lived in as it really was, not just as a casual tourist who really didn't see anything at all.

The study abroad experience changed my life in almost all aspects. I had traveled and lived in a foreign country before (England) but culturally, Brazil opened my eyes much more. England was different true, but South America was a whole new world. I have always prided myself on being open-minded and accepting of all people and their culture, but now that I have genuinely experienced these differences, I feel more confident in myself.