An Investment of a Lifetime

Thinking Beyond Borders was exactly the kind of program that I was looking for after high school. Each day consisted of a combination of working with the community that we were staying in, having seminars where we discussed an international issue that tied into the work we were doing in the community, and developing media projects that explain a certain aspect of that international issue and its importance. No matter what I was doing, I was always learning. I was exposed to cultures far different from my own, and I bonded with people within my group from other parts of the country as well as abroad. My assumptions about the world drastically changed. I came into the program believing that I have a minimal impact on the world and that it would be hopeless for me to institute any noticeable change. Now, I see myself as a "proactive agent of change", which is the purpose of Thinking Beyond Borders. I now see that my actions do have an impact on the world, whether it be large or small.
I was put outside my comfort zone numerous times, often feeling as if I was a lone foreigner in a huge country whose customs are vastly different from my own, but as I look back on my experience, I realize that I grew the most from living in the countries that I had the most struggles dealing with.
I highly recommend this program for post high school graduates who want a change of pace to see the world and understand it better. The program has even affected my experience in college, for I am more active and interested in my classes than I would have been had I not taken a gap year and done this program.