Becoming an Ambassador by Natalie

Becoming an Ambassador by Natalie - November 2017 Scholarship Essay

While there are many different ways studying abroad can be beneficial for a college education, for me specifically, studying abroad helped reaffirm my career goals and be 100 percent confident on what I am studying.

Some college students have an easily identifiable passion that they adapt into a major, then eventually use that passion to find a career. I, personally, was unsure what I wanted to do when I arrived my freshman year. Over my first summer though, I was able to take part in an exchange program and I spent seven weeks in Colombia. I lived with a host family, took classes, and was able to practice my Spanish speaking and comprehension skills. This experience, living in another country for a prolonged time, made me realize just how much I love learning about new cultures and places. If it weren’t for my study abroad trip to Colombia, I wouldn’t have seriously considered my future career goal of an ambassador.

A major part of being an ambassador is living in foreign countries for sometimes years on end. It can at times be in relatively safe countries, or it could be in countries that are drastically different from where I am living now. Some places may have high concentrations of violence, might not have running water, or perhaps the people don’t have the same liberties and rights that US citizens do. Whatever the case, every place is at least a little bit different from where I call home, and sometimes because of these changes can be stressful.

Studying abroad boosted my self confidence that could thrive in an unfamiliar environment. Even though in the beginning it was scary, I would do it again in a heartbeat if given the chance. Before going on this trip, I would have been unsure if I was going to be able to live in a foreign country where every aspect is unfamiliar. Now that I have been, I’ve gained communication skills, independence, and problem-solving skills, all of which help me both inside the classroom and out in the real world. I know and understand that I am not only capable of doing living abroad, but that I enjoy it too.

Without this opportunity to test drive a potential career, I probably would have gone a completely different direction in my studies. As a result of this experience, I have continued to take the classes at my university that are most relevant to a career at the state department. I am eager to realize my dream, and I have begun looking for other opportunities to continue living abroad so that I might be able to do so again during my college career.