Reflection
Soon after, I found myself catching a flight to Osnabrück, Germany to start my study abroad in summer 2022. This experience was one of the most transformative of my life and I still reminisce about it nearly every day. This program consisted of two classes about sustainability in engineering, but also included several seminars and field trips about German language and culture. However, many of my lessons extended beyond the classroom, as I quickly found out about many cultural differences between the U.S. and Germany. At first, this adjustment was difficult. I remember on the first day of classes getting yelled at on the street for jaywalking, not realizing yet that Germans have much stricter traffic rules. Another time, I mistakenly sat in the wrong seat on a bus, and was yelled at again for sitting in a row reserved for the elderly. These small moments reminded me how easy it is to take cultural norms for granted and taught me to be more observant and adaptable.
​Living abroad for the first time, I was completely out of my comfort zone. Thankfully, after a few days, I was able to bond with the other American students on the program, and even some of the German students at the Hochschule Osnabrück where I studied. One of the professors at our university during our first week told us, "Once you make a German friend, you’ve made a friend for life.” This definitely turned out to be the case with many of the people I met. While some were more reserved at first, by the end of the program, the Germans I had been talking to and I had formed a deep and meaningful connection. I am incredibly grateful for these friends who helped make the time in Germany extra special.​​
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​My journey as an international scholar has been an absolutely transformative experience, opening my eyes to new cultures, perspectives, and invaluable life lessons. It has taken me on some memorable adventures along the way, from running through the bustling streets of Berlin, to making a horror short film entirely in Japanese, and to taking relaxing trips down the Ichetucknee River with my exchange student friends. Every experience, whether thrilling, challenging, or unexpected, has expanded my global view and fueled my curiosity about the world around me.
Looking back, I think about how small the world felt for me when I first started college back in the Fall 2020 semester. In the middle of a global pandemic, college felt silent and stagnant; it felt like I would have to graduate without meeting new people or engaging in non-Zoom campus activities like I had always wanted. But as the pandemic-era began to fade away, I had the opportunity to be a part of so many learning experiences through different organizations. These included lunar new year festivals through CASA (Chinese American Student Association), Garba and Holi through ISA (Indian Student Association), and social events and seminars with SASE (Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers). This, mixed with my internationally-focused coursework at the time, was the starting point of my deep dive into being an international scholar.
Following my study abroad, I realized how much I love meeting people from different backgrounds and hearing their stories. Additionally, when one of the students from the Hochschule came to UF to study abroad here after my program, I found out how exciting it is to show off my own culture and learn about cultural differences that way. In fall 2024, when I was paired with a roommate who was studying abroad at UF for the semester from Austria, I had the privilege of acting on my passion for cultural exchange. I was able to show off Gainesville to my roommate and his other international friends, from many of my favorite restaurants, to Gators football games, my hometown, and several other parts of Florida. In return, I got to hear about the differences between the U.S. and several other countries, many times about small things I would have never thought about like having mailboxes in front of houses.​​
All in all, the University of Florida and its International Scholars Program has given me a lifetime's worth of opportunities to expand my worldview, build meaningful relationships, and develop skills that will stay with me for life. My global experiences have not only changed how I see the world, but they have changed how I see myself within it. I feel more open-minded, curious, and eager to continue exploring. Following what I learned during my time at UF, I plan to spend the next few years travelling the world to go on more awesome adventures and meet new friends along the way. I already have tickets to Japan for this summer, and once I start working, I hope to start a travel fund so that I can keep the momentum up. This journey has only just begun, and I cannot wait to see where it takes me next.​​
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“If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and widely as possible.” ― Anthony Bourdain