Before I moved, I spent time getting ready and packed a lot (especially comfy shoes!), practiced some Italian words like ciao and grazie and learned about Italian culture so I wouldn’t feel lost when I arrived. I was a little nervous, but I was mostly excited.
Italy was amazing, but the best part? I got to travel to other countries while I was there! I visited France, where I saw the Eiffel Tower. I also went to Bulgaria, a country in Eastern Europe with beautiful old cities and friendly people. Every place I visited helped me see how big and interesting the world really is.
While I was studying, I started to notice something. Technology was becoming a huge part of global politics. Countries were talking more about things like cyberattacks, online safety and digital privacy. I became super- interested in how technology and government work together--or how they sometimes don't work together or actively work against each other! That’s when I decided to apply for a special program called the Fulbright Scholarship. It gives students the chance to study in another country. I was so excited when I got accepted!
Now, I’m living in Israel and studying at Tel Aviv University, where I focus on something called cyber-politics. That means I study how countries use the internet, protect information and deal with problems in the digital world. Tel Aviv is a great place to study this because it’s a global center for technology and cybersecurity.
Learning and traveling have changed the way I see the world. I hope my story inspires you to be curious, ask questions and maybe one day explore the world too!
