Help Eduardo Study Abroad This Summer!

Study Abroad Brochure

On Tuesday, January 4, I was accepted into a very selective study abroad program for the 2022 Summer term at the school I am currently at, the University of Florida where I am a Junior pursuing a Political Science degree. Out of a pool of almost 100 students, I was chosen as one of the 20 to participate in it. The program is called UF in Europe- Cities in Civilization. This program takes me to Europe for 5 weeks, traveling from London to Rome with 5-day stops in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, and Florence to experience European civilization and its past, present, and future and earn 6 academic credits. If you would like to find out more about the program a brochure of it is attached to this! 

When I was little, I would read encyclopedias and books about Europe and try to find movies and music too that would all feed that desire to experience it all one day. I was inspired by all I read and saw to pursue learning more languages, so I convinced my parents to let me take French and English classes aside from my native Spanish language. I am now fluent in both of these languages. It also inspired me to seek new experiences outside the U.S., such as a summer French immersion program in Quebec City, Canada. This program was a life changing experience that expedited my fluency in the language and it would not have been possible to do this program if it wasn’t because of a GoFundMe I made for myself at the time and scholarships I received from my school.

That is the kind of situation I find myself in today, looking for the next step in broadening my experiences and cultural awareness but unable to do so without financial assistance as the program's cost is $8,500 and while Bright Futures covers part of my costs, I am still around $5,000 short. To be able to go, aside form this fundraiser, I am currently working two jobs and applying to. every scholarship I can. This trip is important to me because it is the last opportunity I have to experience study abroad before I graduate, an opportunity hindered before now by COVID-19.

I would like to attend on this trip because I find it invaluable to visit places such as the ones mentioned earlier, cities that are key sources of knowledge on our past, present and future. There is no better way to understand the world than to experience it and understand how we got to where we are today, why each of us believe what we do, and why our opinions differ so often. As I said in my application essay for the program, Cities in Civilization can kickstart this new chapter of my journey, translating passport stamps into knowledge and cultural awareness of the world we live in.

I appreciate you already for taking the time to read this and thank you to all who consider donating to help me! :)