I don’t even know how to begin to
express my gratitude for the opportunity I have been given to study abroad in
Norway. Throughout college, I never
thought I would be able to afford to go overseas, and the Rotary Club helped
make it possible for me to follow my dream of traveling. When I left Georgia there were many things
going on in my life that had me spinning in multiple directions. This experience came at the perfect time
because it gave me the chance to take a step back (or a step over the pond for
that matter) and really just think about myself without any external
influences.
The moment I realized that I was
actually going to Norway was when I was sitting in the airport during a layover
using the last little bit of data that America would allow me. Then I finally met the two girls who I was
going to spend the majority of my time with, Abby and Alex. We hit it off from the start and had so much
in common with each other. It seemed
like eating, sleeping, and studying together never got old, because we were
constantly learning something new about one another. Our group of friends continuously grew larger
and larger the more time we spent with our classmates. I felt like I was meeting someone new up
until the last day! As my relationships developed, so did my view of the world
and my place in it. Thank you for that opportunity.
The class I chose was gender equality,
because it was different from any class I have ever taken at the University of
Georgia. The classroom was made up of
about fifteen masters and undergraduate students. We went around the room and talked about
where we all traveled from and I knew then that it was going to be a very
interesting class. There were so many
different countries and lifestyles represented and everyday the topic of
discussion was relatable to each of our homes.
It was very unique to hear a perspective from Sri Lanka and Bosnia on
gay marriage compared to the American majority opinion. I never thought that people actually lived in
inequality until I listened to their first-hand experiences. Gender Equality opened my eyes to the progress
the Nordic Countries have made and how they have impacted us throughout the
world. The Rotary Club was created to
end an epidemic and without this opportunity I wouldn’t have realized that
there are still causes worth fighting for.
My favorite part of being in Norway
was exactly that, just being there. Any
chance I had to make a new friend, go to a museum, or take the tram to Lake Sognsvann,
I took it. I loved going into the
downtown area and shopping at every single one of the H&Ms that were on
each block and poking my head in stores I have never seen or heard of before. Since people watching is one of my favorite
past times, I also paid close attention to the culture around me. It was so unique and so different from my
southern state of mind and I found relief in that. I knew coming into this experience, that it
was going to be very different and I embraced that fact. I soaked up as much of the Norwegian culture
as I could and now I find myself missing the constant fashion show and exotic
pins on Pinterest that were actually my reality. Thank you for sharing your wonderful country
and its people with me.
I am so grateful for the
opportunity you gave me because I became my better self. Now, I have a much clearer vision of what I
want and it is greater than anything I have ever dreamed of before. I find myself seeking out foreigners that I
have never met before because I know how interesting they can be and how much
life experience they have that is still untold.
The University of Georgia will always be my home, niche, and comfort
zone but now I am no longer afraid of being on the outside of it. I can only attribute that to the experience
the GRSP scholarship has given me. Thank
you for believing in me and selecting me for this once in a lifetime adventure.
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