By Maria Scaletti

I think that one of the best things about studying abroad is being able to travel and see places that you’ve only seen online or only dreamt about. I admit that coming from New Zealand I have been very lucky to grow up in the landscape that I have, therefore, when coming to California I really wanted to explore places that I wouldn’t get the chance to back home. Over the spring break a group of us international students took a trip to Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks. Travelling in a bigger group made everything so much cheaper. We were able to split costs for accommodation, transport and food which made the experience more affordable but also created time to really bond as a group.

The scale of the landscapes at the National Parks are unreal. I have never felt so small in nature before. Between the towering cliffs at Yosemite and walking through the trees at Kings Canyon there’s something about being in a place that old and vast that makes you feel both tiny and incredibly lucky to be there. It was a trip I won’t forget anytime soon.

Adjusting to student life here in California has been an ongoing learning experience. I thought that coming to an English-speaking country I wouldn’t experience too many differences however, I quickly learnt that the University culture is very different here. At UC Davis student involvement is widely encouraged, with clubs and events going on constantly. Although it was very overwhelming to begin with, I quickly realised that it is the best way to get involved and make new friends.

The academic system at Davis works very differently to back home. Here they run on the quarter system which means that assignments are due so much quicker and with having midterms and finals every quarter it also starts to feel like every week is exam week. I quickly learnt that it is best to stay on top of the workload here otherwise it can build up very quickly especially while being an exchange student as there are still many things you want to explore and see.

People here are friendly, however it has been harder to make friends with American students because of the cultural differences. Sometimes the conversations feel different to what I am used to. For example; small talk is a big thing here but it does not go much further beyond that. Because of this I have found that most of my friends here are other exchange students. They have played a huge part in settling in here. I consider them “almost home” people. These are the friends who just get it, the ones who understand what it’s like to exist in this almost, in-between space, they understand the balance of the excitement of being somewhere new with the challenges of being far from home. These friendships become a kind of home in themselves, a place where I don’t have to explain every little thing because they already know.

One thing I’ve learned is that when everything feels temporary and uncertain, it helps to build something that isn’t. A morning walk, a weekly video call home, these aren’t just routines, they’re anchors that will keep you steady when everything else is constantly shifting.

Balancing the student life here in Davis has been a learning experience in itself. Studying abroad isn’t just about what happens in class, it’s about throwing yourself into the experience, saying yes to new things, and figuring it all out as you go. Every day brings something unexpected, and that’s what makes it all so worth it.