The following is my study abroad scholarship essay:
When I was little I had always thought it would be fun to study abroad in Australia. It was never a burning desire of mine, but I had always imagined myself indulging in a semester of sand, surf, kangaroos and cute boys with accents. My freshmen year at UCF, I went to the study abroad fair and was told that my major (hospitality and event management) didn't offer a program in Australia. I became comfortable in the fact that staying in beautiful Orlando for the next four years would be my college experience.
My sophomore year I found out that Australia was indeed a study abroad location for my major. At this point, I wasn't even sure I wanted to study abroad anymore. After all, I had made myself a home at UCF. I had my friends, my sorority, an apartment and I couldn't just leave that all behind to go travel with random kids to a foreign place. But my best friend convinced me to join her at the study abroad informational meeting. The meeting was informative and the study abroad experience seemed like it would be fun but I wasn't convinced that this was the opportunity for me. It seemed expensive and honestly, scary for many reasons. But I filled out the application, just in case I changed my mind.
I needed a letter of recommendation for my application so I e-mailed my favorite professor. She was thrilled that I wanted to study abroad. She kept suggesting that I study abroad in China, just like my dad had suggested. Why on Earth would I ever want to go to China when I could go to Australia, my dream location? I still have no clue exactly why I put China first on my list for study abroad and wrote an entire essay on why I wanted to go there. I guess a part of me didn't want to study abroad and my subconscious knew if I got accepted into a location that I didn't want to go to, it would be easier to say no.
Well, we all know what happened next. I was accepted into the Hong Kong study abroad program. By now, everyone knew I had applied; though most people didn't know that I had zero intentions of going. So now I just had to break the news to everyone. There was just no way that I could study abroad in China. I would miss spring break and formal and my 21st birthday and tons of other events that would mean basically nothing in the grand scheme of things.
And yet, I signed the acceptance paper to buy myself a couple more weeks of decision-making time. A few weeks later, I decided to start looking up information about Hong Kong. I mean, I was planning to live there for four months. One picture led to another and next thing I knew I was absolutely in love. There is so much beauty, culture and spirit in Hong Kong. Time after time, my breath is taken away at the simple sight of a picture taken in Hong Kong. And I am lucky enough to get to experience it all. Now when people ask me "China?! Why?" I say, "Why wouldn't I? How could I pass up an opportunity to study abroad in the hospitality capital of the world, in this beautiful city full of culture and beauty? How could I not?"
I never really believed in fate or things happening for a reason but somehow, something brought me to China and I could not be grateful and excited for the beautiful adventure awaiting me in just 197 days.
When I was little I had always thought it would be fun to study abroad in Australia. It was never a burning desire of mine, but I had always imagined myself indulging in a semester of sand, surf, kangaroos and cute boys with accents. My freshmen year at UCF, I went to the study abroad fair and was told that my major (hospitality and event management) didn't offer a program in Australia. I became comfortable in the fact that staying in beautiful Orlando for the next four years would be my college experience.
My sophomore year I found out that Australia was indeed a study abroad location for my major. At this point, I wasn't even sure I wanted to study abroad anymore. After all, I had made myself a home at UCF. I had my friends, my sorority, an apartment and I couldn't just leave that all behind to go travel with random kids to a foreign place. But my best friend convinced me to join her at the study abroad informational meeting. The meeting was informative and the study abroad experience seemed like it would be fun but I wasn't convinced that this was the opportunity for me. It seemed expensive and honestly, scary for many reasons. But I filled out the application, just in case I changed my mind.
I needed a letter of recommendation for my application so I e-mailed my favorite professor. She was thrilled that I wanted to study abroad. She kept suggesting that I study abroad in China, just like my dad had suggested. Why on Earth would I ever want to go to China when I could go to Australia, my dream location? I still have no clue exactly why I put China first on my list for study abroad and wrote an entire essay on why I wanted to go there. I guess a part of me didn't want to study abroad and my subconscious knew if I got accepted into a location that I didn't want to go to, it would be easier to say no.
Well, we all know what happened next. I was accepted into the Hong Kong study abroad program. By now, everyone knew I had applied; though most people didn't know that I had zero intentions of going. So now I just had to break the news to everyone. There was just no way that I could study abroad in China. I would miss spring break and formal and my 21st birthday and tons of other events that would mean basically nothing in the grand scheme of things.
And yet, I signed the acceptance paper to buy myself a couple more weeks of decision-making time. A few weeks later, I decided to start looking up information about Hong Kong. I mean, I was planning to live there for four months. One picture led to another and next thing I knew I was absolutely in love. There is so much beauty, culture and spirit in Hong Kong. Time after time, my breath is taken away at the simple sight of a picture taken in Hong Kong. And I am lucky enough to get to experience it all. Now when people ask me "China?! Why?" I say, "Why wouldn't I? How could I pass up an opportunity to study abroad in the hospitality capital of the world, in this beautiful city full of culture and beauty? How could I not?"
I never really believed in fate or things happening for a reason but somehow, something brought me to China and I could not be grateful and excited for the beautiful adventure awaiting me in just 197 days.