"From my small-town in Florida, to NYC, and now Paris, I am continuing to learn just how expansive the world truly is - physically, culturally, and personally."

When I began the study abroad application process earlier this year, my motivations stemmed from the talk of global landscapes in several of my courses. Throughout my first two years at Columbia, the European influence on the Core Curriculum would come through strongly during class discussions. My first time traveling out of my home state of Florida was to move into my freshman dormitory, so my personal travel history did not involve the foreign places various classes discussed. I tried to supplement my experiences with readings and other research, but I knew a study abroad experience would be even better. Due to the generous nature of the Global Learning Scholarship (GLS), I was able to complete a lifelong dream of visiting Paris on the Columbia Summer in Paris: English Track.

Initially, I was nervous about traveling internationally for the first time, but Paris ended up being a great starting point for my international travel log. I had a long list of places I wanted to visit within the city, and the resources the study abroad program provided me helped me greatly. Similarly to learning to navigate NYC, I tried to spend my early days learning the public transportation and overall layout of the city. I found myself asking questions and pushing myself out of my comfort zone in order to acclimate myself, as this was the first time I was in a city without knowing anyone. Not knowing anyone did not last long, as I participated in the orientation programming to meet other program participants (like macaron making!). These events introduced me to fellow classmates I do not believe I would have ever crossed paths with had it not been for this program. The friends I made helped me grow socially and academically, and I am eternally grateful for unexpected friendships growing out of this experience.

The two classes I took, “Cinema of the Arab World” and “France and the African Diaspora,” had a major impact on me also. It felt like such a privilege to take courses with dedicated, highly knowledgeable professors and do so in small group settings. Every day, I found myself looking forward to the next discussion and deep-diving into the course content. Both classes incorporated trips outside of the classroom, inside and outside of Paris (Nantes and Lyon), and this multifaceted syllabus style gave me an amazing learning experience. As we discussed our material in relation to our geographical placement, my initial goal of studying abroad was surpassed. I could finally personally relate to experiencing the places we were learning about. I saw the readings, films, and class discussions coming to life, and each piece was impacting me full force. The inspiration and motivation these courses have left with me is more than I could have ever imagined before.

Through the expert teachings of Professor Guridy and Professor Pe and the support of Columbia offices of UGE and Reid Hall, I am ending this summer with new goals. I hope to continue exploring the world, and finding new ways to continue learning. Education is so important to me and with the support of the GLS, I have found a new outlet to continue expanding my passions. From my small-town in Florida, to NYC, and now Paris, I am continuing to learn just how expansive the world truly is - physically, culturally, and personally. I am forever grateful for this learning opportunity, and I hope my story can serve as inspiration to always be looking for new ways to learn.