Spotlight: Three-Time Study Abroad Student Now Living and Working in Italy!
Studying abroad is a life-changing experience, but it doesn’t have to be a once-in-a-lifetime one! Just take it from UArizona Alumna Brianna Becerra-Yanez, who studied abroad three times while in college! Brianna attended Arizona in Orvieto in Spring 2020, studied at UA Rome in Summer 2021, and completed a virtual study abroad internship based in Barcelona in Fall 2021. Additionally, Brianna received the competitive Gilman Scholarship for study abroad.
When asked why she decided to study abroad, Brianna said, “I wanted to enhance my education with an international perspective,” and she certainly did. Brianna studied two majors: Global Studies and Italian, making her experiences in Italy a perfect fit for her academic and professional goals.
Brianna explains, “the hardest part was learning to adapt to a different country’s lifestyle, but ultimately the best part was connecting with people from different cultures.” Studying abroad can come with a lot of adjustments and unfamiliar situations, but there is so much to see and learn in the unfamiliar. Whether it’s about food, attitudes, schedules, or languages, every culture brings a unique perspective on life that people can learn from. As Brianna says, “Gaining a new experience and being an outsider in a foreign country helps you to build resilience, adaptability, and keep your mind open to new ways of thinking in life. These are all skills that can help you to succeed in any career you choose, and also it helps you to become a more well-rounded individual. No matter what path you plan to go down in life, living in a foreign country for any amount of time will help you to excel immensely in anything you do.”
Today, Brianna is using the skills she gained from study abroad as she works as an English teacher at a high school in Italy. Brianna shares, “It was scary to move abroad after school, but it is also unbelievably amazing. I feel more confident in my decision to live abroad because of the support that UofA gave me during my study abroad experience.”
Brianna plans to continue to work abroad, even past her current role. “After my study abroad experience, I decided that continuing to travel and make intercultural connections was the right path for me. Just like the best part of my study abroad experience, today, the best part about what I am doing now is making connections with people from all over the world. I will be at my current job abroad till May, but after that I will continue to keep finding work in different countries. One career goal that I hope to achieve in the near future is to serve in the Peace Corps.”
Here at the Study Abroad office, we’re excited to hear about Brianna’s next adventures and achievements abroad. We wanted to know: what’s Brianna’s advice for students considering studying or working abroad? The answer: “Do it. Just do it.”
Find more information about studying abroad at: https://international.arizona.edu/study-abroad/start or contact: intl-studyabroad@arizona.edu