"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries."
-A.Huxley
Ever since I was young, I have always enjoyed exploring new places and stepping out of my comfort zone. Traveling has become one of my biggest passions, whether it be for work, volunteer, or leisurely purposes. I hope to continuing traveling throughout my life so I can explore other cultures and connect with people from all over the world.
Valencia, Spain- Summer Internship through ISA
I spent the summer of 2018 working abroad for 3 months as the Human Resources Intern at Docendo-- an extra curricular activity provider for schools throughout Spain. I was responsible for the entire hiring process for English teachers in 16 various locations. I interviewed 94 candidates and extended offers to 63 candidates. This experience thought me a lot about how different cultures can affect business operations and communication and spiked my interest in working for an international company. During the weekends, I was able to explore various cities in Europe such as Valencia, Barcelona, Ibiza, Peniscola, Milan, Split, Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Paris, and more.
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Arusha, Tanzania- Volunteer trip through IVHQ
In December of 2017, I spent 3 weeks volunteering at the Venance Day Foundation in Arusha, Tanzania. I worked with the owners to create a sustainable plan to raise money and keep the daycare open, demonstrated to the daycare staff cleaner and healthier ways to change diapers and feed children to reduce risk of infection/contamination, taught older students English words through interactive games, and assisted with feeding, occupying, and caring for the babies at the daycare center. On weekends and during free time, I was able to explore the country through various group tours and excursions.
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People to People Student Ambassador trip to Europe
In the Summer of 2011, I traveled through Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany through a Student Ambassador Group called People to People. In order to be eligible as a People to People Student Ambassador, one must be nominated by a teacher and obtain three letters of recommendation. This trip was my first time out of the country and is what spiked my love for exploration and understanding of other cultures. I was only 13 years old at the time of this trip, and although I loved every second of being abroad I did experience quite a bit of culture shock and home sickness. Once I returned home, I was able to reflect on these struggles and conquer them instead of using them as a barrier to keep me from leaving my comfort zone. Thanks to this trip, I was able to comfortably go to school 8 hours away from my home and leave the country multiple times after at length. Home sickness and culture shock are two of the main issues that keep others from stepping out of their comfort zone, and I am thankful that I was able to overcome those fears at such a young age.