Bre’Anna Grant
The St. John’s Western Europe Semester program was one of the best decisions I made to enrich my college experience. What attracted me to it was the chance to pack my bags and go somewhere new every five weeks.
Out of the number of students who get the amazing opportunity to study abroad, few are actual students of color. Growing up, I rarely saw people who looked like me travel. With the power of social media, however, I grew inspired by seeing young, black millennials travel to exotic and beautiful places I could only dream of.
The first time I flew on a plane was to Los Angeles, CA, for a plunge with Campus Ministry during my freshman year at St. John’s. I then went out of the country for the first time three months later through St. John’s Global Passport Program.
After taking a solo trip to Canada in March 2018, I realized I had a new hobby: solo traveling. I never imagined traveling to another state by myself, let alone another country. Yet, when life gives you an opportunity, what do you do? Well…you take it!
I decided to study abroad the following semester because I fell in love with the concept of traveling: the researching, planning, packing, and, especially, the flying. Little did I know that studying abroad would shape my junior year and help me find my future career.
The St. John’s Western Europe Semester program was one of the best decisions I made to enrich my college experience. What attracted me to it was the chance to pack my bags and go somewhere new every five weeks.
Within the first rotation, I traveled to three new countries: France, Spain, and Switzerland. Through my own travels and constantly being on the go, I realized that my ultimate career goal is to be a foreign correspondent.
The life of a journalist has its perks and disadvantages. Each day brings something new and the chance to inspire others through storytelling. As a foreign correspondent, I look forward to traveling to different communities to tell the stories that need to be told—the stories that many major media outlets do not cover because they are not considered “newsworthy.”
My outlook on life has changed since I studied abroad in Europe. I continue to travel solo and reached my 10th country in August. When it comes to traveling, I stopped waiting and starting doing.
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