What is your favorite travel memory?
In 2013 I spent a week traveling across Lithuania by myself. My grandfather's family is Lithuanian, and since I was little I had wanted to visit and explore my roots. During my travels I visited a town called Šiauliai to see the Hill of Crosses, a memorial to Lithuanians who have given their lives for their country throughout the centuries. I decided to go back taxi since it was the easiest way to get there. I found a taxi by the bus station, and during the ride my driver and I were chatting about why I was visiting (he was very surprised an American came all the way to Lithuania) and his life growing up in the Soviet Union. He waited for me while I visited the hill, which was remarkable, and as we were driving back to the bus station I realized we had been speaking Russian the whole time. I had never done this with anyone before. Not only was I incredibly proud of myself, but I realized that I would have completely missed out on this interaction if I only spoke English.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Since starting Omnia, I think the biggest way I've grown is I've stopped taking it personally when things don't go according to plan. There's a saying about the universe opening a window when it closes a door. Yes, it can be frustrating when something doesn't work out or meet your expectations, but being open to unexpected experiences and opportunities can lead you to some pretty amazing places. I had plans to go to St. Petersburg, Russia to launch our Russian program in March 2022, and clearly that didn't work out. While that was upsetting for many different reasons, it gave me the opportunity to bump up the launch our Spanish and Korean programs.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
Before I started Omnia, I worked for another provider that had a program in Spain. I was working with a student in her senior year who had absolutely fallen in love Madrid and wanted to come back after her program, but she had no idea how to do that. She was determined to make it happen though. She spent the entire semester trying to come up with a plan, and nothing worked out until her last night on the program. She ended up meeting a guy who was an ESL teacher, and with his help she enrolled in a TEFL certification program and had a teaching job in Madrid within the year. That's how you make your own luck!
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
This is a hard one. I really wish I could speak Korean with our partners in Seoul, and doing our Korean program would give me a great foundation. I also love cooking Korean food and it would be a great opportunity to perfect my technique. However, I love being in Medellin, and since I've studied Spanish for so long I'd likely be speaking with a paisa accent after doing our Spanish program there. So can I say both?
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
We're the only study abroad provider that's focused specifically on language programs. A lot of study abroad providers keep students in an English-speaking bubble while they're on their programs, and this can be really discouraging if your main reason for going abroad is to improve your language skills. We design our programs so students are using their language skills both in and out of the classroom. I'm especially impressed with how creative our resident directors are in finding language practice opportunities for the students in their host communities.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
I know a lot of people say it, but for me the key to success is believing in what you're doing. Some days you get to travel to exciting new places or celebrate student successes, and some days you're dealing with an on-site emergency or writing website copy. All of it is important -- the good, the bad, and the boring. Believing in and staying true to Omnia's mission is what keeps me motivated through all of our wins and losses.
