My study abroad story: Ricky Labrada

Name: Ricky Labrada
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Major: Journalism
Minor: French

For any student considering study abroad, I’d say go! Travel and study in another country; the connections I made are amazing.

I studied in Paris, France for four months in the fall of 2020. It was by far the best experience if my life I actually cried when I had to go back home. Just meeting people from so many different countries whom I still talk to, going out to the Seine or the Eiffel Tower and just staying up late and seeing cultural differences was crazy — but so much fun. As someone who is also learning the language, the best way to learn is to just be immersed. I was forced to speak it often because not many French people speak English. It aided tremendously in improving my spoken French.

For any student considering study abroad, I’d say go! Travel and study in another country; the connections I made are amazing. I now have friends who want me to go back and can help me find work as they live in Spain, England and France, opening up so many new doors I would’ve never had without this opportunity.

If you are interested in studying abroad, contact Marquette University’s Office of International Education — the deadline to apply for the fall 2021 semester is March 1, 2021.