To say that I have caught the travel bug would be a little bit of an understatement. I have caught the travel elephant and am enjoying every ride. Travel has become a passion of mine and has given me more exposure to the world than I can handle at some points. In this extremely malleable point in my youth, traveling plays an important role in shaping my mind into one that will make decisions based on experience and connections around the world.
It is fair to say that I caught my travel elephant living in Germany last year as an exchange student. I lived in a small town on the Baltic Sea that had never hosted an international student before. Living in such a rural place gave me a chance to connect to the people on a deeper level and learn how to independently create my own lifestyle. That´s one thing I really love about Global Citizen Year–that they recognize the importance of home life in the fellows´ experience to make deeper connections into the culture.
My time in Germany gave me the chance to grow up and become comfortable being myself–a lesson that I was fortunate to learn at such a young age. Now that this project for me is complete, I am ready to be selfless and learn about the world around me and how I can best provide for this global community…and that is why I have chosen Global Citizen Year.
What really separates this experience from my other travels is the opportunity to network with a group of students who share my passions and are excited to reveal their unique interests. Despite the cost of this program, having that kind of inspirational community to belong to is priceless and an investment that society makes for a better future. Thank you to all of the people who have supported me along the way and I hope I can be of support to someone who also wishes to change their life.
