Bon Voyage

As a young girl I spent much time traveling to Europe to visit family, being that my parents immigrated from the Netherlands and we are the only ones in the United States. Having been raised in two different cultures and exploring many parts of the world, gave me a love for travel and all the wonders within. Growing up has increased my curiosity and excitement to not only see and visit all the beautiful sights but dive deeper into the cultures, business practices, economy, history and more. This led to a major in international business and economics.

Coming out of high school, I was unsure of what I wanted to study or where I wanted to go. Through athletics I was fortunate enough to have schools and coaches reach out to convince me that their school and program was the one for me. With this, I made the decision to do basketball and high jump at Fort Hays State University. After three years, I felt as though what I was spending all my time on was not helping me get to where I ultimately wanted to be. A desire to branch out and focus more on something that would bolster my career in the long run, led to the final decision to study abroad.

Why did I pick Johannes Kepler Universität Linz in Austria? Being fluent in Dutch and English, and being a big Europe enthusiast, I wanted to learn German. I have been studying German for the past two semesters and figured I would capitalize on this opportunity by going to a German speaking country. I was open to Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The logistics of the university programs, start and end dates of the winter semester, and the ability to transfer credits - ultimately led a top pick of JKU Linz followed by their acceptance. Growth - my number one goal for this experience. This is one of the only times I will go somewhere completely foreign, not knowing anyone, for an extended period of time. I couldn't think of a better opportunity to focus on myself, my education, and my plans for the future. I hope that my open-mindedness and determination will offer a unique perspective on study abroad and the adventures through this time.

I also hope to share a song with every blog. Something that adds to what I was feeling and what I often listened to during that period. I love music and think it gives great insight to what someone is going through. For this first blog entry, my song is Blame It on Me by George Ezra. He talks about heading out to find some truth and stresses, “What you waiting for?” I think it is very fitting and has been a fun song to listen to during this predeparture time.