Going into high school I knew that this was the longest I would have ever been at one school- four whole years. I knew that it was important to my parents to not move while I was in high school, to create that sense of normalcy and friendships that would hopefully extend beyond. With this realization had a weird mix of emotions, the excitement for this normalcy, but also fear intertwined with that. I think the best way to describe this, was the fear of lacking adventure. So far in my life I have been beyond grateful for my parents who quite literally gave me the world.
From a young age they let me tag along on some of the greatest memories and adventures of my lifetime– from hanging out in surf clubs in Panama to cramming in a tuktuk in Sri Lanka.

Through experiences spanning continents I learned a lot about different cultures and how to interact with people without understanding the same language. Through traveling I learned one of my most important values; my independence. As an only child one would think that independence was something that was kept from me but in my case it was quite the opposite. I was taught how to navigate foreign cities by being encouraged to take public transportation alone and exchanging words with locals in their languages. My independence was learned through trial and error in the world beyond where I called home.

My great adventures didn’t cease when I entered high school, but I also was able to have adventures at home. My independence that I cherish so much translated into going to concerts for the first time with friends and being brave enough to face the downtown Chicago traffic for the first time alone. My independence gave me a strong sense of self no matter what situation I was thrown into.

This confidence in myself and hunger to experience the world that was instilled in me has even presented with how I chose how I’m going to spend my next four years. I am planning to spend my first semester in Rome, Italy with the hopes of traveling to countries like Montenegro and Croatia. When I was given the opportunity to do this I was incredibly excited, and honestly less nervous than I was about moving into a dorm. I still to this day feel more comfortable and confident exploring than settling in one place.

So, I want to say a formal thank you to the world for giving me a home no matter where I land. Most importantly, a thank you to my parents who taught me that home can be anywhere and with anyone, as long as I have the open heart to accept once in a lifetime opportunities.