For Julio Alberto Morales Alvarez, studying abroad wasn’t just about earning credits — it was about changing how he sees the world.

The 20-year-old political science major here but a law student back in Jalisco, Mexico, has spent the past nine months at Georgia Southern as an exchange student. Back home, he’s technically a sophomore, but here, he laughs, “because of my exchange, I’m a freshman here.”

His path to campus wasn’t exactly planned. Julio explained that a Rotary-sponsored scholarship brought him to the U.S. on a scholarship, saying “I think it’s more like Georgia Southern chose me.” Still, the experience quickly became something bigger than just academics.

“I wanted to have experience,  not only professionally and academically, but also in the human part,” he said.

For Julio,  that “human part” meant meeting people, improving his English, and learning from different cultures and that perspective shift has been one of the most valuable takeaways. 

“Learning from other cultures helps you understand how other people think… I like to think of it as taking other people’s perspective to build yours even stronger.”

Daily life for Julio is packed. A typical Monday includes classes like microeconomics, sociology, and existentialism followed by meetings for Rotaract — a service club he helped start — and ending with soccer practice. In between, he squeezes in meals, studying, and time with friends.

Even small moments have stood out. One of his first culture shocks came from greetings. “Back home we do like a little cheek kiss, here that’s not really a thing,” he said, recalling an awkward early interaction. 

Academically, the differences stand out too. “The way they are explaining is really, really different,” he said. He described U.S. classes as more lecture-based, adding, “There’s not a lot of professor-student interaction.”

Despite those differences, Julio describes his overall experience simply: “Amazing.”

He credits his ability to adapt to staying open. “I like talking to everyone. I think everyone has a cool story to tell you,” he said. 

Looking ahead, Julio plans to return to Mexico to finish his law degree, but doesn’t plan to stay in one place for long.

“The world is so big that you cannot stay in one place forever,” he said.