Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Why Study Abroad Twice?

Many of my friends, relatives and family members have asked me, “Why are you studying abroad twice?” To cut a long story short I usually reply with, “Because I can.”
Yes it’s true that I am studying twice because ‘I CAN’ – because my Communication major allows me to; because I have ‘extra credit’ from high school; because I can fit two study abroads into my four-year-plan and still graduate on time; and most definitely because Mr. Bill Gates is covering for all the expenses thanks to Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship.

But that’s not the only truth. There are many reasons why I am studying abroad twice, and there are many micro and macro reasons why I intentionally chose India and China.
Fact of the matter is I’ve always wanted to do this ever since I was a little girl. I remember in sophomore year of high school after I’d return home from my 2 weeks trip in French Guiana (small country at the tip of Brazil with1% Hmong population) with Girl Scouts/ Hmong Women’s Circle – I would go to bed every night and plan out all the countries I would visit in the future.
That 16 year old Kia created a “DREAM LIST” of all the countries she wanted to see when she grew up. After French Guiana she went to Guatemala with her Spanish teacher, Ms. Helmen, and a group of other Johnson Senior High School friends to volunteer with Habitat For Humanity during her Junior year of high school.

So “WHEN I GROW UP” which is “NOW” I am trying my best to fulfill that DREAM LIST. I can finally put a check mark next to India and China. Little by little I will fulfill my DREAM LIST. Step by step, I am quenching my thirst of traveling this world. This is the long reason why I am studying abroad twice: I wanna travel the world and educate myself at the same time. Don’t we all wanna do that?

Countries I’ve visited:
Thailand – April 1991 – July 1995 (4 years)
United States of America – July 1995 – Present
French Guiana – July 2007
Guatemala – June 2008
India – January – June 2011
People’s Republic of China – August – December 2011

1 comment:

  1. Well, since no one has commented on your blog yet, I guess I shall be the first. Kia, I hope that your trips to different places has been eye opening and that this one be no different. The world that we live in is a wonderful place, full of interesting and contradicting facts of life. I hope that on your second trip that you learn as much as you can and that you take as much as you give. I look forward to the future conversation that we will have when we are both back from our trip. Goodluck and God's speed. ;)

    And btw, do you mean bucket list and not dream list?

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