For my STEP signature project, I studied abroad in North Queensland, Australia. Throughout the three and a half week trip, I traveled to various bioregions in the country, field exploring and studying under experts. I learned a lot about Australia’s sustainability practices, environment, and history of the indigenous culture.
This was my first opportunity to travel outside of the United States and it was a life changing experience. This trip was a monumental step in my life as it sparked a lifelong interest and confidence in traveling and exploring the world. I am visually impaired and before this trip I feared leaving the country, thinking there may be obstacles that would be difficult for me to overcome. I decided to put aside my fear and embark on the trip to Australia and I am beyond glad I did. I overcame obstacles that would have previously seemed impossible with the support and encouragement of my group. I was able to explore the culture and observe life in a brand new place. I truly loved seeing all that I was able to do, such as hiking down waterfalls and gorges, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and so much more.
I also really enjoyed learning and experiencing first hand. The focus of the trip was sustainability, which involved the connectivity of social, environmental, and economic aspects of life. I was able to see the effects that human life has on the world first hand and learn from experts what can and should be done to slow and/or stop them. I learned a lot about sustainable practices and believe I am more aware of my actions when it comes to practicing sustainability in every day life. I am very eager to continue to put all that I learned in action and to spread the word to those around me.
As I said above, this was my first time leaving the country and I was very nervous. I was able to step out of my comfort zone and jump right into the trip. I went into every day with an open mind and was absolutely amazed at the new things I experienced each day. Befriending my peers made the trip even more valuable and memorable. We were able to experience the events together and support each other along the way.
I had the opportunity of meeting some of the most i incredible people in the world. I was shocked to discover that we were learning from and working with world-renowned experts. I was able to really absorb the content in the course through the lecture and activities led by these professionals. I learned an incredible amount about Australia, its bioregions, its sustainability, and its culture in just the three and a half weeks I was in the country.
Aside from the set lectures and activities, I was able to connect with these amazing individuals personally. They would linger round throughout the day wanting to share with us as many stories and as much information as they could. I found it so helpful and interesting to get input directly from these professionals. Speaking to them personally allowed to create unforgettable connections and memories. One individual that really sticks out in my mind is Marco. We stayed on an abandoned gold mien in the Outback and one of our hosts and instructors at this site was Marco. I found myself sitting by the campfire talking with Marco for hours. I asked him question and after question and we conversed about many different topics. Marco and I really connected during our time in the Outback. I discussed my visual impairment with him and disclosed to him that I had never seen more than ten stars in the sky at one time. That night, Marco handed me his personal pair of high quality binoculars, hoping I would be able to see a sky full of stars. Not only did I see a wonderful sky full of stars, I saw my first shooting star. I was so happy and emotional and I could not thank Marco enough for being so kind to me. The morning we left the Outback, Marco pulled me aside and handed me a horse shoe that was over 100 years old and came from a horse that worked on mine. He told me the horse shoe was for good luck in my life and in all that I choose to do. He said to always keep it so that the open end is up, to catch all of the bad luck. He told me he will always remember me, and I certainly will always remember Marco, as he left an everlasting impression on me.
As most of the destinations on the trip were remote, we did not much, if any, cell phone access. This truly was one of the best aspects of the trip for me and many other students. As much as our generation is enveloped with our cell phones and social media, it was nice being able to distance myself from messaging and any other distraction. I was a blessing because I was really able to absorb everything and become much more involved in my experiences.
The most important part of this trip for me was stepping outside of my comfort zone and doing something I had always dreamed of doing. I had to put aside my fears and take risks in order to grow and have the personality transformation that I did.
Not only did I make lifelong friends while on the study abroad, I also was able to network with professionals. In one of the service projects we did, I even made it into the local newspaper and on the local news telecast. Also, one of the professionals we worked with told me that he would have a job for me if I were ever interested. These were very influential experiences for my personal and professional experience.
Finally, this trip was very special to me as it was not directly related to my field of studies. My undergraduate degree will be in exercise science, and although I was not able to directly relate to the course, I have a strong passion for public and global health, which certainly relates to the study of sustainability in a region. I believe that it is very important to study a variety of topics at the university level in order to establish a diverse and well rounded education.
Chasing obstacles, networking, and diversifying my education are all important aspects to implement into my life. Growing in all of these ways will most certainly help on the road to achieving goals as I pursue my future.