How I Joined the World Stage by Lindsey

How I Joined the World Stage by Lindsey - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

To see the world is an experience that many dream of but few actually accomplish. Those of us that have studied abroad have a more global perspective and a larger capacity for empathy and learning through these ventures abroad. As a girl, I always wanted to go to France. At that time I didn’t know that Paris was famous for being the “city of love.” Instead, my heart throbbed for the people, the trade, the landscape, and the architecture. These are the things I remember most after traveling to Paris, Caen, and Rouen myself.

This thirst for a global adventure came first in the form of a 6th grade social studies project. When I chose France as my country to research, I did not realize at the time that I had begun a journey through culture and learning that would be more rewarding than any love the city of Paris alone could offer. Fast forward seven years later to my freshman year of college. As a member of the honors college, I received a study abroad stipend to be used anytime during my four years at the university. When the opportunity to travel to the Western Front of World War II (five European countries in total) came up, I took the chance and made this dream that many only fantasize about a reality. No longer would I dream about France. I would be there. The journey itself was incredible, but this is what most would assume. What many people don’t realize is how a study abroad trip changes you for an entire lifetime.

Since studying abroad, my college career has consisted of two more trips abroad, which involved work with Syrian refugees in the country of Jordan and HIV victims in the nation of Ethiopia. Looking back on my time in college thus far, I can’t even imagine an education where I didn’t study abroad. Not only did I entrench myself in the history of the Second World War through my initial trip, but I also learned what it means to be a member of the world stage. Because my trip was so informative, eye-opening, and enjoyable, I have continually searched for more ways to expand my self-awareness and discover new cultures apart from my own. If students with a dream like me were given the proper funding and preparation for their travels, then it is clear that study abroad should definitely be a part of every college curricula. An opportunity such as this teaches empathy and allows for learning and would be a shame if students had to miss because they simply were never able.