What is your favorite travel memory?
During my semester in Denmark, my class and I traveled to Istanbul to study EU migration and Turkish politics. Istanbul was unlike anywhere I had ever traveled before, and getting to experience the city through an academic lens and really study these issues up close made the trip even better. Meeting with local leaders and Turkish college students was an opportunity I just wouldn't have been able to have if I had gone there myself. And that's the best part about study abroad, right? You get to go out and SEE what you're studying. That experience inspired me to go on and write my thesis about Turkish domestic politics when I returned back to Colorado for my senior year.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
In college you're in a bit of a bubble where, for the most part, you interact with people your own age and nationality for the majority of your four years. I've loved having the opportunity to work with our staff from around the world on a day-to-day basis, and getting to learn from them has been a real highlight of this position. CET makes a point of having the whole staff meet up every year and I'm just in awe of the level of expertise and knowledge our staff has - discussions at staff meals are so engaging and fun!
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
I frequently hear stories about our students and their local roommates remaining friends and visiting each other throughout the years! We are proud of our roommate program and so it's great to see the impact of this extend beyond a semester or summer abroad.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
This is really tough as every time I think about this question, my answer changes. But I'd have to say our Vietnam program. I was lucky enough to visit our site in Ho Chi Minh City and was just blown away by the whole city and everyone I interacted with. Vietnam is a perfect place to study issues like development and public health and I think our program there really speaks to my liberal arts college experience. Plus, I attended college on the block plan (you take one class at a time), which placed a huge emphasis on experiential learning/field trips and that is a definite highlight of this program. The students get to go on traveling seminars to various parts of Vietnam as well as Cambodia, and their classes get them out into the city to study issues firsthand. Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the amazing food!!