Major: Journalism
Programs:
- Rome Semester in Spring
2007
- Discover the World:
Africa in Fall 2007 (Manhattan, Rome, Cameroon)
What is your background?
My father is from Iran. My mother is American and of Polish,
Czech and German descent. I was born in the U.S.
Where are you originally from?
Kingston, Pennsylvania
Why did you decide to study abroad?
I always loved to travel and it was a dream of mine to visit
places such as Rome, Paris and Africa. Studying abroad gave me the
opportunity to fulfill my dreams while still attending school. I
don't think I would ever have been able to live in Europe or Africa
for that length of time as I was if I didn't study abroad. It costs
thousands of dollars to go to these places for one week, and I was
able to be abroad for months and really become a part of their
culture, not just a visitor.
What appealed to you about the particular program
selected?
I loved being able to be grounded for a whole semester in Rome,
and having the ability to travel wherever I wanted from there. I
wanted to really immerse myself in a particular culture and being
in Rome for four months allowed me to do that. As for DTW Africa, I
chose that because I am really interested in African studies and
I've always wanted to go there. It was the perfect opportunity for
me to go and get a really in-depth perspective of Cameroon that I
wouldn't have gotten if I had just planned a trip on my
own.
What did you like best about studying
abroad?
I loved being able to experience new places with new people, and
even on my own. I feel that being abroad in Europe and Africa
really allowed me to fully come into adulthood and matured me
enough to be able to handle certain situations. Studying
abroad also gave me valuable experiences that I have brought back
to the States with me.
What was your most memorable experience?
My most memorable experience was getting off of the plane in
Douala, Cameroon and seeing the landscape of Africa for the first
time. I was so overwhelmed I just stood there and the emotions
became so strong I actually started tearing up. It was an
unbelievable moment in my life; sometimes I still have a tough time
believing it happened. It seems like a dream that I was actually in
Africa.
How has the study abroad experience affected you now
that you are back in New York?
I feel like I don't take New York for granted anymore. I look
around and see tourists all the time and think to myself, "Millions
of people come here every year to see everything that NYC has to
offer. Why aren’t I doing the same?" I feel like I've become a
tourist in my own right and act like one no matter where I visit
now. I now believe that it's really important to try and get as
much benefit as you can out of every situation. I've learned not to
take anything for granted since you never know where life will take
you! Studying abroad has taught me to live in the moment, and not
look back on my life and wish I had done more, because I have done
everything that I want to.
Would you recommend studying abroad to a
friend?
Absolutely! I already have! A few of my friends were so excited
by all of my pictures and stories that they themselves studied
abroad after I came back to New York. I'm constantly telling
everyone that is thinking about doing a program to not wait any
longer to go. It's a win-win situation for the student!
What plans do you have once you graduate?
I am taking my LSAT in December in hopes of being accepted and
enrolling in Law school next fall. I am also looking into graduate
school for Journalism, as well as some other programs like the
Fulbright Program and the Peace Corps. Studying abroad really
opened my eyes to new things. I'm constantly looking for any excuse
to travel to somewhere new in the world!