Awesome

When I first decided to go abroad I was a little hesitant and here is why. I played basketball all of my life since I was a kid and was, at the time, playing for Sewanee: The University of The South, a small division three liberal arts college in Tennessee. Thus, my identity as I knew myself, was in basketball. Granted, I had joined a fraternity, and gotten involved with various groups on campus, but I was still rooted in basketball. Deciding to go abroad would cut my career short. I decided, however, struggling through a lot of prayer and thought, to go. I can honestly say that this was the best decision that I have ever made in my life. I was stretched in ways that I never knew I was capable of. I knew that if I was going to go abroad I had to go by myself because if not I would just be in the same old bubble I had been in. I wanted to stretch myself and see things about myself that I had never seen before. Hence, I decided to go to The Eternal City of Rome (mainly because I am a history major and a religion minor, I will readily admit). When I got to Rome I was awestruck from day one. I was completely interested and immediately inquisitive about this place and what it had to offer to me—because as one can easily see, Rome has dealt with a plethora of people all containing differing identities. I promptly decided I would let this place change me—the way I thought, the way I wandered around this life, and the ways that I was used to. Looking back I can honestly say that this place has given me things that I never thought possible of attaining. I learned to love people that were different than myself and had differing opinions on almost every topic. I learned that people everywhere are all innately attracted to happiness, and all equally impervious to suffering. I learned that basketball is not the only sport that people love. I learned to not only appreciate the differences in others, but also I became fond of my thoughts, beliefs, and values. I learned that reading a book is not the only way to learn—although I will admit it is very valuable. I learned that if you have a fear of something the best way to overcome it is to face it head-on. I was completely petrified of fights, so I sky dove through the Swiss Alps one weekend. These are just a few of the examples of what IES and study abroad has done for me. My perspective on life is completely changed and it’s something that I am very thankful for. So, in closing, I want to thank IES and all the people involved because I can truly say that my life would not be the same had it not been for study abroad. C.S. Lewis said it best: “its funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back everything is different.” My time abroad is something that is not a four-month experience I hold in my mind, but it is a life long memory I will savor until the day that I die.