At the age of 13, I was blessed to have the opportunity to become a People to People Student Ambassador. This role granted me the gift to travel to eight countries in Europe and sparked my love for travelling. I visited Lichtenstein, Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, England, Austria, and Switzerland.

I participated in great activities in each country. I did a homestay in Germany and even went to school with my homestay sister. In the Netherlands, I bicycled through the windmills and colorful tulips, and later had a picnic and played soccer with local Dutch kids. In Switzerland, I climbed the Alps mountain and had a snowball fight in July! In England, I had a wonderful opportunity to meet with a former prime minister as he discussed the English government structure. At first, I didn’t realize the significance of what I was doing, but I later realized that I was able to have life experiences at 13 that most people don’t ever get to have. Learning about different cultures, exploring different countries, and meeting new people only caused a greater yearn for travelling.

This past summer, I travelled to Italy and Greece. I saw the beautiful architecture constructed by the Romans in the Roman Colosseum, toured the Vatican City, visited the Christian monasteries in Delphi, and had a traditional Greek evening dinner in Athens hosted by locals. Later, I cruised around the beautiful islands of Mykonos, Santorini, and Samos, and took in the small, yet beautiful beaches, food, fashion, and infamous white houses. Travelling to different parts of the world has allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for different cultures and the differences that account for the diversification of our world and people. I love to travel, and hope to go on more adventures in the future!