When I became one of 100 UC students to spend the school year in France, I had no idea that my life would never be the same—in any way. My UCLA Italian professor discovered I was a French major, immediately recommended me for the France UCEAP program, and the whirlwind began.

Our group included students from UC campuses in Los Angeles, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, Davis, and Riverside, with an assortment of majors that included engineering, psychology, political science, in addition to French. Since we'd be abroad for a full school year, we spent a "basic training" week at UCSB. Alums visited the lectures to teach us about French life, culture and history, but mainly to provide us with handy hints about how not to behave like “ugly Americans.”

Shuttles took us to LAX from UCSB for our flight to Paris, our first destination. Unable to sleep, we managed to sing every fight song or party song we'd ever learned. Jet-lagged and carrying way too much luggage (READ: my first handy hint), we arrived at the student dorms outside of town to the heckling of foreign students from all over the world. Our skins began to thicken, and soon we could verbally spar with most of them. Lesson from the Introductory Week: Leave your ruffled shower cap, red suede boots, and green suede coat with the raccoon collar at home. Also, remember that high-heels last perhaps ten minutes on the cobblestones!

An all-night train from Paris to Pau took us to intensive language classes at the foot of the Pyrenees and our first interactions with French university students. A cadre of these new friends took us under their wings that first afternoon at the university restaurant. Apparently, they found us as intriguing as we did them. At least six of these wonderful people are still my very best friends. They took us on picnics in the countryside (where I became "La Petite Vache" for life after a ride in a farm animal transport), taught us new drinking songs, generally watched over us and kept us out of trouble in Pau and throughout the rest of the year. I'll never forget one lunch visit by a group of Palois to the University Cafeteria in Bordeaux after we arrived. They made the long trek specifically to give notice to the rowdy crowd that there would be repercussions if anyone "messed" with us. It worked well.

The school year went much too quickly. We learned about French politics (from factions ardently for and against De Gaulle), studied literature and socialism, became coffee connoisseurs at the Cafe New York, sympathized with student strikes by traveling often, met French families and lots of other foreign students. We became bilingual and learned that, as one of the characters in Dien Bien Phu explained: "When you learn another language, you gain another soul." This was not the experience of other study abroad programs at the time. In fact, we met a group of girls from another university who proudly announced that they always kept strictly to themselves and never met any French students.

Thanks, UCEAP, for creating a life-changing immersive program with a buffer zone at the UC Center, where we attended tutoring sessions and solved any problems by putting them on the shoulders of the extremely sympathetic Mr. Garcia (Louis Garcia was the local program director). We all gained the aforementioned new souls, grew as human beings, and even managed to get through the November 1963 assassination of John Kennedy with the support of our French community.

I've returned as often as possible since 1964. My husband and I recently spent a few weeks reconnecting with three old friends in St.-Jean-De-Luz, Hendaye and Mont-de-Marsan, and we're delighted to reaffirm that French friends are for life.

We hope to return when travel becomes possible again!
Martha Sigwart 

To find more stories or to submit your own, go to UCEAP Connect.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us professionally, personally, financially, and possibly in ways that we haven’t yet fully realized.

Over 1,600 UCEAP students were required to return home, many of them only after a few weeks abroad. On May 5th, a global day of giving, UCEAP alumni and friends, raised $3,800 for the UCEAP Emergency Response Fund. Funds raised will be used to offset unanticipated expenses related to the suspension of UCEAP programs. Some of those expenses include airfare back to the United States, housing and food costs, and supplies. Now, more than ever, we are stronger together, and there is no better time to connect with your UCEAP community. Thank you to everyone who donated!

During this difficult time, many of us find ourselves find checking in with friends from our time abroad on UCEAP. I've been reflecting on my year in Scotland and thinking back to the first images that I have of that beautiful country.

Studying abroad through UCEAP provided me the opportunity to leave the United States for the first time in my life. What I remember about my first impression of Scotland is how striking the architecture was around every corner. The beauty of old buildings, common place to those who lived there, stood out in such stark contrast to the streets I grew up around in the US. Our UCEAP orientation staff brought us to Edinburgh Castle where we saw a beautiful view of the whole city, these gorgeous buildings sprawled out amongst craggy hills and as far as the sea. I remember feeling so full of enthusiasm for the year ahead of me, surrounded by fellow UCEAP participants, soon to be friends. 

We would love to hear your first memories from your time abroad and to see photographs from your first day in country! Please take a moment to share your memories with your fellow alumni on UCEAP Connect and help all of us feel connected through our memories dotted all around the world.

Sincerely,

Bryn Lemon
Scholarship and Alumni Engagement Coordinator

What a difference a month can make. In one month, the impact of COVID-19 took us from suspending programs in three countries to suspending all 2019-20 spring and 2020-21 summer programs.

UCEAP monitored and followed fast-changing directives from health and travel advisories between the Department of State, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the University of California Office of the President. Simultaneously, instructional transitions at partner institutions, travel bans, and border closures compounded each decision UCEAP needed to make.

So, where are we now? At home adjusting to working remotely, following the stay at home order, and trying to ensure the health and wellness of our loved ones and ourselves. We are also considering fall 2020 programs and whether they will run as scheduled and what modifications might be necessary or possible. We can’t predict how long we will be in this state of uncertainty, but there are some things that will remain constant: our commitment to UC students and our appreciation for each other. As we regroup and face new challenges together, I'm encouraged by the resilience, creativity, and kindness you demonstrate. Now, more than ever, UCEAP must keep calm and carry on.

With gratitude,

Vivian-Lee Nyitray
UCEAP Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director

On May 26, UCEAP announced the suspension of 2020 fall and year programs in all locations due to COVID-19-related public health concerns.

While disappointing, this decision was not made lightly. Concern for the well-being of UC students made this the best choice, and UCEAP is committed to resuming international programs in the future. 

On March 5, the UC Davis community gathered to celebrate globally-engaged faculty, staff, and scholars. Among those honored was faculty director of UCEAP in  Spain, Cristina Martínez-Carazo, who received the Academic Senate’s Excellence in Teaching in Study Abroad award. 

Professor Martínez-Carazo has been  teaching and directing study abroad programs in Spain for over 20 years. During this time, she developed innovative and popular programs that have benefited thousands of UC students across majors. The curricula, which she also served as an instructor for, focused on building intercultural competence skills and helping students gain a deeper understanding of Spanish language, culture, and art. A true testament to the impact of her career, her students wrote several letters of support for her nomination for the Excellence in the Teaching of Study Abroad award. Congratulations, Christina!

UCSB Professor Emeritus John Ridland passed away on January 29. Professor Ridland taught for over 40 years at UCSB. A founding faculty of the College of Creative Studies and a professor in the English Department, he specialized in poetry and translation. 

In 1993 he served as a visiting professor at the University of Melbourne and stayed on three years as UCEAP faculty director of programs in Australia. Professor Ridland was beloved by all who knew him for his warm and approachable manner, thought-provoking lessons, passion for poetry, and sense of humor. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues around the world.