My name is Catie Mae and I spent both semesters of my junior year studying abroad. I spent the summer and fall in São Paulo, Brazil, and spent the spring in Madrid, Spain. I decided to become a peer advisor because studying abroad really changed my perspective of the world we live in, and even my goals in life, and I want other students to be able to have the same life-changing experiences.

Make an Appointment Pre-Advising Form

Zoe Friese (she/her) is a senior at Tulane with majors in Political Economy and Environmental Studies and a minor in Chinese. Before beginning college, she spent six months in Chengdu, China on a gap year through the U.S. Department of State's NSLI-Y Program--and subsequently fell in love with language and cultural exchange. Zoe has since participated in the 2022 Critical Language Scholarship Program at Taiwan's Chenggong University and studied in Cambodia through the School for Field Studies. On campus, you can find her co-leading the Tulane Undergraduate Assembly or giving tours as a Green Wave Ambassador. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, and finding the best boba spots in town.

How did studying abroad affect your academic and/or professional career?

Studying abroad has allowed me to have a more holistic experience in my education. The experience of the culture of Madrid, the style of teaching and learning that exists there, and the language practice both in and outside of the classroom gave me a well-rounded understanding for my Spanish minor.

How did you explore your hobbies, interests, and passions abroad?

I was able to create a schedule that optimized both my education and my ability to travel during my time not in the classroom. By having classes only three days a week, I was able to optimize my ability to experience new places, new cultures and travel a lot which was my biggest interest in studying abroad.

Why would you recommend your respective abroad program or location?

I would not highly recommend my program as I think there may be other options but I would recommend my location.

What should students consider when applying and preparing for their time abroad?

The program, their goals, how it will affect their major and minors, the location.

Did your identity impact your study abroad experience?

I have studied abroad in middle school, high school, and college and each time it has impacted me well.

Share a story about a time you experienced cultural immersion.

Coming from Tulane, a public university in Madrid is very different. There was a lot of interesting things that happened in school.

Julia is originally from the Bay Area in California, and she is a current, senior at Tulane, studying sociology and Spanish. She studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina fall of 2022, and lived with a host family (two really nice old ladies). While there, she traveled around different parts of northern Argentina, including Salta, Córdoba, and las Cataratas del Iguazú. Her interests include language learning, trying new restaurants, and traveling.

Julia is motivated by her positive study abroad experience, and as a peer advisor, she is excited to help people explore opportunities to create a positive experience for themselves as well. She believes that studying abroad is some thing everyone can benefit from, and she get the chance to participate in.

Hi! My name is Jessie Ji. I am from Beijing, China, and am a senior studying dual degrees in psychology and business marketing. I spent my freshman year in Shanghai, China, and studied abroad at Trinity College Dublin, studying psychology, and the National University of Singapore, studying business marketing during my junior year. I love traveling, and I recently developed the hobby of hiking and camping! The portfolio picture was taken at the peak of Volcano Ijen in Indonesia, and my personal altitude record is 5276m, the second peak of Mt. Siguniang, in Sichuan, China!