Would I suggest a study abroad?

         As someone who doesn’t come from a family or community of people that prioritize the same things that I do in life, completing a semester abroad as a part of my bachelors degree and graduating from university is a major deal. For the majority of my life, the people I’ve interacted with throughout my education don’t come from a similar background as mine (my family, who are immigrants, got me a passport as soon as possible, and I’ve been traveling all of my life). After graduating high school, I knew a classic or expected cookie-cutter education wasn’t for me. After completing a school year abroad in India, this only deepened.

        I changed my plans to study a general business degree to instead learn about international studies and later a dual major in finance. Knowing that I had to complete a semester abroad for me meant a semester that came with a high price tag that I personally felt I had to pay. I’m fortunate enough to receive a 95% scholarship to HPU so school has always been affordable for me, but because of my choice to study and travel, I had to learn about loans and going to banks for the best choice to fund my semester abroad. I feel like I truly invested in myself and my education, which, as expected, had me appreciate it more. I applied to scholarships that helped offset the cost of my semester, but because SIT didn’t have a partnership (only an association) with eHPU, I had to pay mostly out of pocket. I was able to essentially live in three different countries, and become a part of where I was. Some places felt familiar, others foreign. In every country I would (almost instinctively) adjust how I moved financially and socially. Going out and supporting local was entertaining, being pushed as a student was challenging but came with rewards. Now when I compare each city and what I experienced at each of them, I get lingering thoughts that I can reason through. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions and definitely experienced highs and lows, but again was supported throughout the entirety of the semester. 

        It wasn’t until midway through my time in Cape Town that I felt like I was abroad (I hadn’t felt this way the entire semester). On a drive back home we were running through the central business district (CBD) and Table Mountain could be seen for all its glory. I had a moment, my thoughts being “I’m not in Hawaii anymore, I’m not even in the United States”. I’ll never forget the feelings I was going through when it hit me that I was in South Africa and the third and last continent on my trip/semester. I guess that goes to show how well SIT was there for me and my classmates. I feel like every need was met, but like a double edge sword to accommodating groups, there was always somebody that had something to say, and I on the other hand listened and just went with how the program planned to move forward.

        I was just happy to be there.

        I remember having a blast engaging in conversations with people that I never thought I would ever again but were possible because I was a part of a school program. It had been a long time since I connected with individuals from different backgrounds and was able to find commonalities, no matter how different we were and still be so alike. 

        I  like to say that about things that people apply for: you’re going to meet similar minded people or at least someone with something in common even if it’s just one thing. 

        What I’m saying is I am super grateful for the opportunity I took, and like anything there were things that would have been better had things been different, but I think I did what I was supposed to and when I was supposed to. I highly encourage anyone to pursue something that they set their mind to, because the only results that come from doing so are achievements and being happy you did what you wanted to and that you said you would. 

        My semester abroad managed to host a year's worth of an education in just three months. There was so much that I experienced and learned. There were a lot of assignments that we were expected to accomplish and with communication and the expectation to be great from my professors, my peers, and myself, we completed that. I really hope post-Covid that more students take advantage of studying abroad and bring it back. I also feel really sad and disappointed for the class before me in international studies and expected to study abroad as well, but never got to because of the pandemic and life.

        As I complete this reflection, I realize I sound like Dr. Seuss.. but I definitely developed wisdom that can be used for the rest of my life and passed down to others after reading this back.

        I had one goal to record a minimum of one song in each country, and I’m happy to say that I did that! On the last days of my trip in Argentina I re-recorded one song from 2021, in Spain I recorded 3.5 new songs with beats that we made on the spot, and in South Africa I recorded a total of 13 new tracks! 

        After this week only three of us who were in my cohort have graduated (including myself). I’m very excited to see where the next year takes all of us. I met people that I know will make change in this world and that are already doing so. Lastly, I think that me being able to share all of this with you is an amazing thing and definitely not something to be humble about. 

        Thank you to Hawaii Pacific University, and the study abroad program for the opportunity to complete a semester abroad during my bachelors and higher education. I appreciate all that you did for me and continue to do.

To being a global citizen and trotter!

Sophia