My Life in Two Suitcases
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Hi everyone! My name is Natalie and I will be away from home for the next 11 months to study abroad in Asia. A lot of people ask me if I’m scared and I say no but I think it’s because the realization just hasn’t hit me yet. And of course, I waited until the absolute last minute (the day of my flight) to pack while my mom has been threatening me for the past few weeks not to leave my room a big mess when I leave. I’m planning on using the “Mom, I don’t have time! I’m gonna miss my flight!” excuse to get out of cleaning.
I’m currently a junior at the University of California, Davis (I know what you’re thinking and it’s really not that boring!) and majoring in Managerial Economics. I decided to study abroad my junior year because I like change and I thought studying in a different country for a year would be refreshing. I’m a member of Delta Sigma Pi, a profession co-ed business fraternity on campus as well as a member of the Davis Racing Dragons, the college dragonboat team for UC Davis. This past summer, I interned at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, a law firm in downtown San Francisco which is what inspired me to want to become an attorney. I’m still deciding whether I want to go into business or practice law but hopefully, this year abroad will help me figure that out. I enjoy the simple things in life, like sunny days, good food or a nice conversation with mom. I believe that it is extremely important to have dreams and goals and to put everything you’ve got into getting everything you want out of life.
I love to travel. I’ve always felt that in exploring different countries and cultures, I’m not just learning about the world, but I’m learning more about myself and what kind of person I want to be. It allows me to see life in a perspective that is different from what I was always taught while growing up. Seeing the world helps me shape my own world and makes me think about how I can use the qualities I possess to contribute to the world. Studying abroad will give me the opportunity to step out of my “comfort zone”, to challenge myself, and to see what I am capable of. When I think about being miles away from home and living in a foreign country with not even one familiar face, it gives me the chills. But that’s how you know you have to do it. Sometimes, you just have to leave everything you know and everything you love, to grow stronger as an individual and then return home with a whole new appreciation for life and the people you care about.
With two over stuffed suitcases and a backpack, I feel more ready than ever to find out what’s in store for the next few months. LET’S GO!!!
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