Spending the holidays abroad!

I used to feel homesick when I’d be traveling for two weeks, now I’ve been away from home for almost a year and I’m spending holidays away from home for the first time.

For someone that travels home regularly, travel restrictions and a global pandemic has definitely made this year different. But different doesn’t always have to mean bad, I still managed to make the best of celebrating holidays away from home. As an International Student, when you live so far from home, it’s easy to consider the friends you make abroad your family away from home. 

For Thanksgiving weekend, me and some of my best friends celebrated Thanksgiving at one of my good friends and her family’s beach house. All weekend I felt so thankful for my friends and the family we got to spend Thanksgiving with. It made me realize how lucky we are to get to experience a different culture and their hospitality. It was ultimately a great weekend where we got to enjoy some really good Thanksgiving food following a beautiful beach sunset. Spending a holiday away from home truly gives you the opportunity to experience cultural enrichment and a chance to learn more about a different culture and their traditions.

One of the best ways to cope with holidays away from home is knowing that you’re not alone, you’re probably not the only English, Australian, Brazilian or, in my case, Swedish person around Luckily, most of my friends are staying here in Santa Barbara, and it’s all of our first Christmas away from our family at home. It brings the excitement back with a sense of home and nostalgia knowing there are other people yearning to celebrate the same traditions. There are many other International Students in the same boat as you; far from home and feeling down or homesick around this time of year.

This year, me and one of my best friends are celebrating Christmas the traditional Swedish way. Growing up in Sweden, the julbord (translated to literally Christmas table) may look like any other buffet, but to us it’s a very important tradition to uphold. The table usually consists of a variety of pickled herring, cured salmon, meatballs, sausages and pork ribs. We’re also making Swedish Candy like Christmas toffee, and watching Donald Duck at 3pm as we always do in Sweden, so even if we’re not physically at home, we’ll still bring some of our traditions here which will hopefully make Christmas away from home more manageable.

Instead of getting the Christmas blues my advice when celebrating the holidays away from home is to try to uphold any traditions from home and (if you can) find friends to celebrate the holidays with. Not only is this a great way to make new friends, but also bond about being in the same situation. As much as I miss my family and home, I think this experience has taught me that even when we get homesick, there’s always a way of bringing home to your newfound home.

Trip Through Golden Coast (Antonio Monteiro)

How My Trip Through The Golden Coast Taught Me To Become a Better Student at SBCC

When we think of someone as being successful, we normally assume that he or she is resourceful, knows how to deal with adversities, and is an action taker. Being a successful student, like any other craft, requires these three aspects that I mentioned.

But to learn how to be more resourceful, or make things happen, you don't have to just sit in front of a class, work on a job, or read a book.

In my opinion, one of the best ways to learn how to be more capable in terms of adapting to new environments, challenges, and situations, is by traveling.

And my spring break trip, a van trip down the Golden Coast through San Clemente, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Diego, Murrieta, Joshua Tree desert, and the Big Bear mountains, thought me how to become a better student.

I'll share my insights with you right now, as a way to show you that being a student here is not only about academics, but also about learning how to mature and become a helpful adult in society.

This 6-day trip was programmed with the intention of having a path, but not a strict schedule. Therefore, we just agreed that we would surf for the first two days, and then move on to the desert, and the mountains.

My friend, Pierce, owned the van with a bed, Cássio, my other friend, and I was sleeping on sleeping bags in the van as well. As you might imagine, it was not a comfortable situation. But here lies the first lesson.

Be comfortable with uncomfortable situations, because they're mostly temporary.

By sleeping in a van for 5 nights, I learned that all the discomfort that I went through to sleep, for example, thought me to value what I already have in life, and what I aspire to accomplish as well.  

The main reason lies in the fact that is going to take discipline and hard work to make a good job, at school, work, relationships and so on.

Therefore, the appreciation of discomfort changed my perspective about how to endure long study periods, work shifts, and times when I needed to push through in order to get a good result

Another lesson that I learned came by seeing so many different natural environments in such a short period of time. In 6 days we saw the beautiful spring blossoms around the salty coast, the dry, harsh and yet full of life desert in Joshua Tree, and the snowy forests of Big Bear.

All these different environments developed fairly near to each other, but yet they are different, and this was the same for me and my friends.

We came from different backgrounds, countries, and ways of living, and yet we managed to stay all the 6 days together. To see our differences, and how every one of us can be ourselves and respect the other, was very profound.

Here in California, you're going to see that is a cultural melting pot everywhere you go, so people won't necessarily live in the same way as you do, think the same things, and value the same practices.

You can get annoyed with that sometimes, as I did during the trip, to be honest. But as you learn to deal with differences in a more intimate way, the number of things that you learn about life, and yourself, are paramount.

By far, this trip was my best learning experience in terms of cultural differences. And thank the school, my friends, me, and the van (which was named Beth, by the way) for this amazing opportunity.

Learning how to deal with different environments, cultures, plans, and needs thought me how to better understand myself and apply all this knowledge towards my academic and professional progress while in here, and throughout my life.

So if you ever come here, do not miss out on traveling to different places, with people that are not very much like you.

Be impressed on how big this world is, in terms of ideologies, idiosyncrasies, and nature.

How did I prepare to study abroad?

How did I prepare to study abroad?

Studying abroad is obviously not as easy as living at home and studying there. I chose not to be part of an organizational program to find my study abroad destination, as I knew where I wanted to go for college and therefore had to do a lot of research and complete all of the following steps on my own. Nevertheless, I completed the exchange year during high school with a study abroad organization. If you to take part in a program offered by a study abroad organization, the institution will assist you with getting a visa and more. At first, it may seem like a lot of work, but it is worth it!

Exploring Knapp's Castle

Beautiful palm trees in Santa Barbara

First of all, you have to know where you want to go. For me, the choice was obvious but if you are a little adventurous, you may choose a country that you have never visited before, don’t know the language, or never even heard of. Taking into consideration that I mainly wanted to improve my English, my options were limited (U.K, Australia, and U.S). Since I am definitely a warm-weather person and cannot stand the cold, I short-handedly decided to go to California when deciding where to do my exchange year. In addition, I wanted to live near the beach and have sunny days all year round, so Santa Barbara was the perfect choice for me (BTW, SB got voted the city with the best weather in the U.S!!!). Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t handle much rain and coldness. Furthermore, if you already have your mind set on a specific major, you may want to select a university by looking for the best program in your major. Not all universities offer all majors. Therefore, you could start your google quest by researching (i.e. the best business universities in the U.S). If you don’t have a specific major, but you know that you want to attend a prestigious college or university, just look for the best universities in the U.S. SBCC got voted the #1 Community College in the Nation so this would FOR SURE be a great place to start! 

Hiking to Lizard's Mouth

Great websites include www.internationalstudent.com, www.usnews.com, www.topuniversities.com, www.niche.com, www.businessinsider.com, www.forbes.com, and many more. In addition, I conducted some research about Santa Barbara and about California in general... what to do, what to see, demographics, and more. Nevertheless, don’t worry about having to do extensive research because it is important to take things as they come and form your own opinion about the destination, the sights, and citizens.

View from the Humanities Building at SBCC

Once I decided what college to attend, I had to apply to SBCC. (See application checklist and procedures). Then, I had to wait for the acceptance letter before I could apply for my F-1 visa at the American embassy in Austria. In the meantime, I prepared all documents needed for the visa application process. Getting a visa took about one to two months including the time to get all the documents in order. The documents include, but are not limited to an application form, passport pictures, a financial statement, and the acceptance letter from SBCC. Eventually I had to go to the American embassy for a quick interview and that was about it. Two weeks later, I received my passport with an American F1 visa in the mail and I was ready to move to the other side of the world!

Santa Barbara Waterfront Pier

For a girl, I was always a light-packer and I only brought one big suitcase and one carry-on handbag with me. The only things you basically need are clothes, shoes, electronics, documents and other personal things. I bought all personal hygiene and household stuff as well as furniture in the U.S, which is definitely the easiest thing to do. Since I am living with my boyfriend now, I did not have to worry about getting an apartment, but there are always great options for international students no matter where you go! In Santa Barbara, there are many apartment buildings close by SBCC, there is Coral Group (specifically for international students), the Orchid House, and many more organizations, which you can all find online. On the day of my departure, the goodbye from my family was the hardest. However, I always keep in mind that I will see them again (I always go home for the winter holidays and for summer break). Also, thanks to our advanced technologies, I am able to FaceTime with them almost every day to keep up. Naturally, it is difficult to leave family and friends behind, but wherever you go, you’re gonna meet new people and make great friends soon! The relationships you build while studying abroad are simply the best because you will have been through so much together and have shared so many amazing experiences with one another. Whether you’re thinking about studying abroad for one month, half a year, or for your complete studies, it will be the greatest time of your life!

Making new friends!

Interview with Interior Design Student, Anna Parfenova

Receiving the President's Honors Roll Certificate

Your proudest accomplishment/s at SBCC so far?

I really love what I study. I spend a lot of time and effort to learn something new, to carry out a project successfully or to find inspiration for an art work. Therefore, it is nice to realize that my efforts are noticed and appreciated by others. This year I have earned recognition with the President's Honor Roll and an International Student Support Program Scholarship. But perhaps the biggest and most unexpected reward for me was an invitation to participate in an Interior Design TV show. I was incredibly flattered and encouraged that I became one of those students, who was chosen not just to prove myself in the show, but to represent Santa Barbara City College and our Interior Design program. It became a great honor and an unforgettable experience for me.

How has this activity enhanced your college experience?

Participating in a TV show

Participation in the TV show taught me how important it is to learn how to communicate with people in school, in a job, and in any other activity. You can do an excellent job, create incredible masterpieces, be a master in your field, but if you do not know how to communicate with people, it does not matter. It is important to be able to present your work and do it well, be able to negotiate with the client, be able to work with the supplier, with your team and with a team of professionals in another field, be able to avoid conflicts and mistakes, while still keeping your goals and staying true to your principles. This experience gave me an idea of ​​how much sometimes your success depends on other people and that it is a hard job to collaborate with these people to achieve your own goals.

And of course, participation in the TV show is an excellent experience in public speaking, of manifestations of organizational and oratorical skills, of using time management and good preparation, of struggling with fears and complexes. The practice of all these skills gives a good competitive advantage in any work.

What advice  would you like to share with a new student who wants to make the most of their SBCC experience?

First of all, be true to yourself. Do what you really like and do it well. Listen to yourself, choose with your heart and always be faithful to yourself on your way. Second, if you are afraid - do it. If you are not confident in your abilities, think that you will not succeed, feel embarrassed, shy, afraid - be sure to try it. Without it, you will never grow. If you fail - it will make you stronger, and if you succeed - you will take yourself to a new level. But you will never lose.

And the last, just enjoy. Enjoy all that you do, see, feel, all that surrounds you. You will never catch the same moments in life again. Love them all.