Personal Narrative: Slone

I quickly finished tying my shoe and hopped onto my purple mountain bike and we were off. Logan my brother who I love sometimes,Cassie My best friend, Easton Cassie’s brother,Sawyer Cassie’s brother, Mr. Wychers and I were going to ride our bikes through a trail off in the woods and go to Whistle stop and then cut through town and head to Houseman's. The sky was cloudy and the daylight was being blocked by a thick dark cloud, which looked a lot like a rain cloud.

While reading "The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American" by James Baldwin the writing reminded me of my own international travel experiences. Until I began to conduct business overseas, I had my preconceived ideas about the world and the people in it. I was naive enough to believe that others had the same opportunities as I did in life. My travels changed these notions. Throughout my career, I have had the pleasure of being able to spend time abroad and experience various cultures. This travel exposure has afforded me the opportunity to learn a little concerning other cultures, as well as to discover something regarding myself. Of my time spent abroad, my favorite places are those in Southeast Asia, specifically; India, Malaysia, and

It was a cold winter night in Upstate New York. My mom and dad were enjoying a cup of coffee, my sisters were playing video games, and I was editing a few pictures on my computer. My mom brought up the idea of a vacation. She said” We haven’t been on a vacation for a long time”. We all agreed and were hoping for my dad to also agree. Then my father said with a cheerful voice “Where do you guys want to go for vacation”. Me and my sister Rahma wanted to go to Florida, but, my other sister Selsibila wanted to go to California. Since Florida is closer and most of us agreed on going to Florida my parents said, “Ok then Florida it is” and we all ran to our rooms to pack up our stuff. My father quickly went on his computer and started looking for a rental. After we packed up all our stuff my dad said” Everyone go to bed, so we can wake up fresh in the morning and get the trip started”. So, we all went to bed. I can barely sleep thinking about all the fun were going to have. After about 15 minutes everyone was sound asleep and so was I.

I am applying for the Gilman Scholarship in order to participate in the University of Utah London Street Scenes study abroad program. I am a University of Utah English major, and my focus is British Studies, particularly Romantic, Victorian, and Renaissance fiction. One of my goals for the future is to write historical fiction set in England, so this trip would certainly be an inspiration for me. I am a senior and will be graduating this summer semester. This study abroad program would fulfill all but one of my remaining upper division English credits as well as the International Requirement for my Bachelor of Arts degree. It would be the perfect finish for my English degree; it is a chance to experience in person the settings of the literature

Do you ever stop and think about what the other person is feeling after an argument or when you tell them something life changing? My parents definitely didn't know what was going on in my mind. I was shocked when I heard my parents say that we were moving from Michigan; my home town, the state I was raised in and have great memories from to California, a strange and unknown place populated with strange people. I felt as if my little world had turned upside down and I would be the one to deal with it. The people responsible for this move would be my parents and my older brother. My brother, Ben wanted to finish his college in California because his preferred major was taught there. My parents had filled out the required paperwork for me

There is an old Moorish proverb that reads, “He who does not travel, does not know the value of man.” That quote resonates deep within me because I have a yearning to use my education to empower those in need. In order to do so, I need to see and experience the world outside of the one I am accustomed to. Curiosity is one of the traits that define the person that I am; because of this trait I always ask questions about the world around me and the people I meet. This is one of the driving forces behind my desire to venture outside of the United States to learn a new language and culture. As a recipient of the Gilman Scholarship, I aim to study the French language in Paris, France through the four-week Intensive French program offered by Florida

I along with my family moved to Canada in 2004, this was the biggest and happiest day of my life. I had great expectations for my future; since living in Pakistan, I understood that Canada was a land of opportunity. Unfortunately, due to the earthquake in Pakistan on October 8th , 2005, we had to move back to Pakistan since we had lost members of our family as well. The move back to Pakistan at that devastating time was very hard for myself and my family. My father enrolled me to a school in Pakistan since we were going to live there now. The school system in Pakistan just did not seem right anymore, I missed my school in Canada which I had attended for just a year. I struggled to live in Pakistan for three years and in 2008, my mother decided

For as long as I can remember there has always been a yearning deep within my innermost being to experience first hand an array of cultures and countries. As a teenager, I had the good fortune to travel throughout Europe and to live in Germany for two years. Traveling and living abroad was so appealing to me that I decided as a young adult to relocate to Mexico. While in Mexico I not only acquired a profound respect and appreciation for their culture, but also worked diligently in order to achieve a near native proficiency in the Spanish language. Upon my return to the United States, I slowly began to formulate my next adventure, a trip to the culturally rich and uniquely diverse country of China. Finally, a dream became a reality and I found

I was raised with Christian values in mind, and attended a Methodist school. I was raised in the Christian faith yet I find myself, as with some of my friends who were raised in the same conditions, we seem to be growing farther away from our upbringing as we age. I find myself simply not understanding as time goes by, a complete polar opposite from the song ‘Farther Along’. One of my hopes in attending PBA is to try and find answers and a reason to try and reconnect myself. I believe PBA, from what I’ve read, has a very friendly understanding environment. One where you sit down and go into depths about faith, instead of blindly following it because it was your parent’s

I stared into the dark sky, taking a deep breath. “Tonight...tonight.” I breathed out loud. This past week i’ve felt jittery inside my stomach, holding back the smile i’ve wanted to show. Tomorrow was the day it all happened. I held my legs to my chest and thought about all the good things that could happen.

"Sometimes we need someone to simply be there. Not to fix anything, or to do anything in particular, but just to let us feel that we are cared for and supported."

Traveling to a new country is often viewed as a momentous occasion. The migration is an opportunity to embrace an exciting new setting, new people, new adventures, and numerous other first encounters. For some, traveling to a new country is an experience to die for. For others, the experience almost kills them. The latter is what Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie illustrates in her book, Americanah. Two characters, Ifemelu and Dike, migrate to America and struggle to adapt in their new country. The story Adichie writes is not a depressing one, however. Instead, Adichie demonstrates how Ifemelu and Dike’s sense of Nigerian identity empowers them to overcome depression that stems from culture shock.

There was no possibility of seeing anyone that day. It was raining. The weather was non negotiable. The people who dared to step foot outside had regretted their decisions to do so. Although I was perturbed by the event, I was glad as well.

“Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta. My passion is learning about life through travelling and exploring new things. It excites me when I visit new places, learn about different cultures, and see other people live a life that is different from mine. I just love to travel because it makes me realize that the world is so beautiful and there is so much to admire and treasure. Furthermore, i love the feeling I get when I explore new ideas, histories, beliefs, and scenarios. It not only increases my knowledge, but also helps me overcome problems that I am dealing with. I get to experience life’s problems, pleasures, and I come out of my personal bubble to become a better person by exploring new cultures. Travelling is my passion because it’s something that I am not afraid to chase after. I get to learn more and more about myself and I am able to expand my horizons every time I travel.

Most people dream about sudden trips to exotic lands or planned voyages to previously familiar locations, but what is it that drives us to seek to leave our home? Why is it that we travel, even if we are completely comfortable in the country we live in? Pico Iyer, in his travel essay titled ‘Why We Travel’ states different reasons why he believes we seek the unknown. One of the points he claims that we travel for the “self and anonymity”. As he expands on this idea, it is clear to the reader that Iyer believes one of the reasons we travel is to be able to be “free of caste and job and standing” in order to better comprehend ourselves. In a different environment where no one can really put a label on you, especially if you are alone, it is probable that certain issues or aspects of one’s personality, which would have otherwise remained dormant, manifest themselves, allowing you to be “born again”. In this situation, you don’t live in the past or the future, but in the present where it is almost impossible for you to ignore your inner self, biases, values, and opinions.