The Adventure of a Lifetime

It's hard to believe that my time abroad is already over...it went by so fast! Today, I made my way back to the United States after my Social Cognition and Drugs in Australia program ended. Even though it was a long flight, it seemed to go by quicker as I was able to reflect on how amazing my time abroad truly was.

I had dreamed of going to Australia ever since I was in kindergarten, and this trip made my dream come true. I got everything out of it that I desired and more! Not only did I get to see amazing sights and cross things off my bucket list, but I was able to experience Australian and Aboriginal culture along the way, which made the trip even more meaningful. I love experiencing different cultures, so being able to attend Bennelong (an Aboriginal dance performance), see original Aboriginal art, and even getting to write a paper about the history of Aboriginals for one of my classes left a great impact on me. Traveling isn't just about sight seeing, it's about experiencing. Experiencing a new culture, interacting with the locals, understanding their ways, and learning from them. Appreciate the little things while traveling, learn as much as you can, and create as many amazing memories as possible. 

One of my favorite quotes about traveling is, "We travel not to escape life, but for life to not escape us." This resonates with me as I reflect on my time abroad, because originally, I wanted to travel to change up my life and experience something new. But now, it means so much more. My time in Australia gave me a new perspective on life and allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. Now, I feel ready to travel the world, not so I can escape my life, but so I can fill my life with meaningful, wondrous adventures to make the most of my time. 

Before going on this program, I was nervous to go abroad. I had always wanted to travel the world, but was scared of trying to figure out a completely new place in a new country on my own. But this program allowed me to step out of my comfort zone with the other students in the program right by my side. We went in as a group of strangers, but came out as friends. We navigated, explored, and discovered Australia together, which made it a little less scary since we did it together. I will never forget the friends I made on this trip, nor the memories we created, as they will both always have a special place in my heart. Thank you to my group, UCSD Global Seminars, and Professor Pineda for making my study abroad trip so amazing, as well as making this trip possible for me through the Global Seminar Scholarship. Australia will forever have a piece of my heart, and one day, I will return to continue my Australian adventure.