By leaving my “bubble” in Houston and engaging with these different points of view, I became wiser, more compassionate and more confident. I also realized that I had to continue this process of personal growth, and leaving the country became my next step forward.
In 2019, I received the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship in order to study abroad for a full year in Tokyo, Japan. I knew that the culture in Japan would be different from anything that I had encountered before, and I hoped that by immersing myself fully in my new environment, I could expand my perspective on issues within my own culture. I can’t wait to share how my journey abroad not only opened up new professional and educational opportunities for growth but helped me to understand my own identity when I got back home.
