Opportunity To Study

My opportunity to study abroad in Australia has been an eye-opening and in some ways challenging experience. I feel honored to have been given such an opportunity because if it hadn’t been for the Gilman Scholarship, my dream of foreign travel never would have become a reality. Prior to leaving, I had had very little International experience, save for a week in Shanghai, China. I wanted to prove to myself that I was culturally competent and capable of navigating a foreign country on my lonesome. Not only was I challenged academically by my new surroundings, but emotionally as well. I learned the importance of fostering lifelong friendships and how travel easily brings people together. The ability to be adaptable, resilient and open minded

People either love travel or hate it, and that’s perfectly ok. My time abroad really helped illustrate that anything is possible. Prior to studying abroad, I had flirted with the idea of attending grad school overseas. Now that I’m in my last semester of College, I’m starting to entertain that idea more and more as a possibility. I learned that I greatly enjoy travel and in many ways, travel is essential for personal and spiritual growth. Toward the end of my program, I decided to extend my stay an extra two weeks in order to backpack down the East Coast of Australia. My goal was to hit some of the beach towns starting from Cairns descending South all the way to Sydney. Along with a fellow Arcadia student and my best friend from Portland, Oregon, we set out on a two week adventure that really accentuated my overall experience. The travel itself was brutal and we didn’t always get along, however, the kindness and sights we experienced on the road are memories I will never

They say this is common among travelers, many call it a reverse culture shock.

It’s no doubt that my experiences and time overseas had significantly changed me as a person. My goals, my outlook, and even aspects of my lifestyle have changed. Upon returning to my home institution I looked for other foreign exchange opportunities. I started researching Fulbright, Boren and the JET program. I decided that post graduation I would like to get my TEFL certification in order to teach English as a foreign language overseas. I realize the importance of cultural immersion and figure that by getting my TEFL certification this is my way of paying it forward.

In order to implement my follow-on service project, I worked closely with Helen