“I studied abroad on a European art and architecture program, and I cannot put into words just how momentous of an experience it was for me. Prior to my trip, I had never traveled alone; I had never set foot on non-U.S. soil, nor had I ever been in an airplane. To top it all off, I had never been away from my home state for more than a couple of weeks at a time.

Suffice to say, this adventure was going to offer a unique set of challenges that I would have to rise up to as an individual. I’ll admit, the nerves got the better of me more often than I’d like to say, but with the rallying support of friends, family, and the International Relations network on my home campus, I was fully committed to this experience no matter what. This support, in essence, is what I would love to be for someone else who might be wearing that same pair of shoes.

Just hours before I was scheduled to depart for London, I was speaking to a friend who was set to fly to China with the Peace Corps. He said, ‘Don’t worry. Just take it all in. You’re a citizen of the world now.’

I intend to continue to be this person going forward, and I will never stop learning from the world.” ~ Brittney