--- title: "Transfer Spotlight: Victoria Barros, Class of 2018" description: My name is Victoria Barros and I am from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Growing up, I never felt that I belonged to a specific community, group, state or country. image: https://blog.johncabot.edu/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Victoria1.jpg --- [![JCULogo1](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/JCULogo1.png?width=300&height=80&name=JCULogo1.png "JCULogo1")](https://blog.johncabot.edu/blog?hsLang=en) [![JCULogo2](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/JCULogo2.png?width=300&height=82&name=JCULogo2.png "JCULogo2")](https://blog.johncabot.edu/blog?hsLang=en) - [Undergraduate](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/undergraduate) - [Graduate](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/graduate) - [Study Abroad](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/study-abroad) - [Italian](https://blog.johncabot.edu/it/blog) - [Website](https://www.johncabot.edu/) - Filter By Topics - Scegli Il Topic # Transfer Spotlight: Victoria Barros, Class of 2018 July 17, 2018 SHARE [mailto:?body=https://blog.johncabot.edu/student-spotlight/transfer-spotlight-victoria-barros-class-2018](mailto:?body=https://blog.johncabot.edu/student-spotlight/transfer-spotlight-victoria-barros-class-2018) ![](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Victoria1.jpg) SHARE [mailto:?body=https://blog.johncabot.edu/student-spotlight/transfer-spotlight-victoria-barros-class-2018](mailto:?body=https://blog.johncabot.edu/student-spotlight/transfer-spotlight-victoria-barros-class-2018) ![John Cabot University](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hubfs/JCUCrestWhiteonBlue-1.jpg) Written By [John Cabot University](https://blog.johncabot.edu/author/jcuadmissions) Topic [Student Spotlight](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/student-spotlight), [Transfer Students](https://blog.johncabot.edu/tag/transfer-students) My name is Victoria Barros and I am from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Growing up, I never felt that I belonged to a specific [community](https://www.johncabot.edu/community/default.aspx), group, state, or country. As a child, I often wondered what it would be like to settle down in one city for the rest of my life. However, I didn't think a lot about it because I concluded that it would be much too boring. I have always felt the need to explore and dive into new cities, cultures, and lifestyles. I will never forget the first foreign city I ever visited: Santiago, Chile. The city was surrounded by the most beautiful mountains and trees, creating a perfect winter haven. People there seemed very busy, and traffic was heavy, but the modern architecture shined through the chaos. This trip triggered a desire in me... a desire to travel and experience new cultures and to become a local in a new city. At the age of sixteen I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to study in college; however, I didn't know *where* I wanted to study. I had a feeling that it was my destiny to end up in a place far from home, and at first I thought that place would be Australia. But, after watching so many Hollywood movies, I felt inspired to seek my future in California. I started my freshman year at Marymount California University in the Spring of 2014. I was enrolled in the international student program "2+2" – where you do 2 years in a small university and then transfer (with good grades) to a bigger, more “well-known” university. During my last semester at Marymount, I had the desire to go abroad, and while looking at the list of destinations, Rome really caught my eye. Two weeks later, after all of the paperwork was ready, I received news that international students with less than four semesters' worth of credits were not eligible to [study abroad](https://www.johncabot.edu/academics/study-abroad-jcu-degree-students/direct-exchange.aspx). So... instead of studying abroad, I took a bold step and decided to transfer. Cut to Fall 2015. There I was: a degree-seeking student in the heart of Rome attending my first day of orientation at [John Cabot University](https://www.johncabot.edu/). There was so much beauty around me, everywhere I looked. For those of you who are not from Europe, and love history like I do, Rome will most definitely strike you. I was in awe of the city and of the University. I truly felt embraced and like I was a part of a community. The classes were fun and small enough to be interactive, the professors helpful and kind, and the students very friendly. By the end of my first semester at JCU, I couldn't think of any other university I would like to attend. I knew I wanted to finish my degree here. Sometimes our destiny plays tricks on us: just when we think we have figured out where we're supposed to go, we wind up somewhere we never imagined we would be. I am so thankful that my previous university wouldn't accept my application to study abroad. [Transferring to John Cabot University](https://www.johncabot.edu/admissions/undergraduate/transfer-students.aspx) and moving to the Eternal City was the best decision I could have made. I can happily say that I found myself by living in a new culture and becoming one with the city, thanks to JCU. ![](https://blog.johncabot.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Victoria-150x150.jpg?width=150&height=150&name=Victoria-150x150.jpg) Victoria Barros [Economics and Finance](https://www.johncabot.edu/academics/economics-finance-degrees.aspx) major, [Business Administration](https://www.johncabot.edu/business-administration/) Minor Class of 2018 Hometown: Porto Alegre, Brazil [Previous Post](https://blog.johncabot.edu/academics/10-reasons-transfer-jcu?hsLang=en) [View all posts](https://blog.johncabot.edu) [Next Post](https://blog.johncabot.edu/degree-seeking/parks-rome-villa-pamphili?hsLang=en) ### Subscribe Here! ### Recommended Reading [Student Spotlight](https://blog.johncabot.edu/topic/student-spotlight?hsLang=en) [Transfer Students](https://blog.johncabot.edu/topic/transfer-students?hsLang=en) ##### [What Is It Like to Move Alone to Rome for University? 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