In this episode of Abroaden Your Horizons, we’re joined by Santa Clara University students Emma Hatfield, a Neuroscience major with Spanish and Biology minors, and Celeste Mancilla, a Political Science and Spanish double major with minors in Urban Education and Latin American Studies. We talk about their semester in Salamanca, Spain, and how choosing a language immersion program made all the difference.

Emma and Celeste share the highs, the hurdles, and the cultural mix-ups that came with diving headfirst into the Spanish language and culture. From classrooms that started to feel like family, to diving deeper into their identities and interests, to surprisingly missing the chaos of airports—they reflect on how their time in Spain stretched their comfort zones in all the best ways.

In this episode of Abroaden Your Horizons, we’re joined by Santa Clara University student Huy Ngo, a Computer Science and Engineering major with a minor in Real Estate, who studied abroad at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. From juggling a demanding STEM course load on campus to embracing a culture rooted in respect and mindfulness, Huy shares how he adapted to life in Thailand both in and out of the classroom. We dive into his adventures traveling across Southeast Asia, getting scuba dive certified, working with elephants, and immersing himself in the region’s rich natural and cultural diversity.

Along the way, Huy reflects on learning the Thai language, building new friendships, and finding confidence through pushing past his comfort zone. His story is a testament to the power of an adventurous spirit and the unexpected ways studying abroad can expand not just your worldview, but your sense of self.

In this episode of Abroaden Your Horizons, we’re joined by Santa Clara University students Fernando Salvador Francisco, a Communication major with a focus in filmmaking and a minor in technical theater, and Lindsey Gebhardt, a Chemistry major. These two close friends studied abroad on opposite sides of the globe- literally- in Cork, Ireland, and Auckland, New Zealand (yes, they even tested the distance!). 

We dive into their unique journeys, navigating culture shock, finding community abroad, and readjusting to life back home—all while staying connected from thousands of miles apart. They also reflect on what led them to study abroad: Lindsey, whose mom's own global adventures inspired her, and Francisco, a first-generation college student forging his own path. Their story is a celebration of friendship, growth, and the unexpected ways that studying abroad can shape who you become.

In this episode of Abroaden Your Horizons, SCU Junior Sam Balough takes us inside her study abroad adventure in Barcelona with IES as a Psychology major. She shares how she learned to explore the city with respect for local communities, what it was like living far from home for the first time, how she found comfort in solo adventures, and the friendships she built with fellow SCU students and beyond.

In this episode of Abroaden Your Horizons, we’re joined by SCU Management Information Systems major Mayukha Sirineni to hear all about her semester abroad at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, Australia. 

We explore how she overcame pre-departure nerves, learned the value of work-life balance, and grew more comfortable spending time on her own. She also shares insight into the nonlinear nature of making new friends and overcoming fears, and reflects on how her experience abroad reshaped her perspective on academic validation.

In this episode of Abroaden Your Horizons, we talk with two SCU students, Sam Curran and Nicole Van Stralen (podcast host), about their fall semester abroad in San Sebastian, Spain at The University of Deusto.

In this episode, Global Engagement Ambassador and SCU junior Sandy Pham shares her best advice with future students to Seoul, South Korea. Several topics covered in this episode include: building friendships prior to and during one's time abroad, and essential steps to take advantage of the large social influence in Korea!

In this episode, Global Engagement Ambassador and SCU junior Veronica Flores shares her best advice with future students on navigating life in Spain as a fluent Spanish speaker. Several  topics covered in this episode include: overcoming language barriers stemming from diverse dialects, exploring cultural disparities between Americans and Spaniards, and discerning how to effectively prioritize time to optimize one's experience while studying abroad.

In this episode of Abroaden Your Horizons, we talk with SCU student, Rachel Lee, about her semester abroad in England at Queen Mary University of London. Rachel is a  Mechanical Engineering major with a Technical Design & Innovation Minor.  We delve into how her journey has deepened her connections with her immigrant parents, the challenges she faces as a person of color living abroad, and how discovering international cuisine helped alleviate her homesickness.

In this episode of Abroaden Your Horizons, we talk with SCU student and Communications major, Nicole Van Stralen, about her fall semester abroad in San Sebastian, Spain at The University of Deusto . We discuss her experiences getting her passport stolen, and what it was like living in an apartment abroad with other SCU students. Nicole is currently a Study Abroad Peer Advisor, and we discuss the hardships of her study abroad program, as well as what it is like to return to SCU.