In 2004, I began as a freshman at the University of Louisville and my whole life changed. I had wanted to leave Louisville -- my hometown -- for university, but soon found that through numerous study abroad experiences I was able to make that a reality. I spent my first summer of college living in Portugal, where I studied anthropology and the Portuguese language before moving to France to work as a secretary in an all-French office environment for a month. Although this work exchange was one of the most difficult experiences of my life, I vowed to try again and this time went to Dijon, France for an entire semester of language immersion. I spent my junior year in Louisville, but kept my sights on the international and in 2007 won an NSEP Boren undergraduate scholarship to study in Romania. I graduated from UofL in December 2008, at the top of my class, knowing four languages, and with a wealth of experiences that most students never have. I chose to continue my overseas education in Britain, where I enrolled in a Master's program in international relations at the University of Cambridge. I was inspired to begin this blog after the numerous questions I have received from friends and family about my experiences, and in the hope that this will encourage many more young people to venture abroad during university.
