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Growing up in a suburban, predominantly white, snowbird-inhabited city called “Cape Coral,” my exposure to other cultures during childhood was limited. Most of my family did not have the desire to experience foreign new cultures, so my summer vacations were spent with family in Southern Illinois. While I cherish my childhood, my background as being the first person in my family to obtain a passport, illustrates how formative the International Center at the University of Florida has been to my present and future. Additionally, it lead me to believe that the desire to learn about and experience new cultures can be an innate part of us.

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The International Scholars Program transformed my interest in other cultures into tangible experiences, developed my global citizenship and shaped my professional ambitions. The various requirements of the International Scholar program reinforced one another and broadened the horizon of possibilities for my undergraduate experience. The language requirement of my International Studies major inspired me to study Arabic at the University of Florida. I fell in love with the syntax, phonetics, and Arabic which sparked my desire to live in an Arabic-speaking country. Prior to studying Arabic, I considered my exposure to other cultures to be state-bound, but my passion and the UF in Fez program, made me realize it didn’t have to be.

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Several members of my family thought I had lost my mind to want to study abroad, especially in a Muslim country AND in Africa. However, in spite of their apprehension, they supported my crazy dreams. Through a valiant GoFundMe campaign and a scholarship through the International Center, I was able to study Arabic in Fez, Morocco from May 2016 to August 2016. This incredible experience enhanced my understanding of Islam, Moroccan culture, and ability to communicate in a foreign language. I learned the most about myself through the challenges that I faced and overcame. I initially struggled to find a balance between respecting Moroccan culture and my own values, to negotiate my place in Fez as an American study abroad student and daily life in a developing country. My privilege and status as an outsider gnawed at me as I attempted to fit in to a new society. The exhilarating psychological and physical challenges of living abroad improved my flexibility, empathy, and ability to overcome challenges abroad and at home. It was through these challenges that I developed confidence in living abroad.

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Studying abroad in Morocco directly impacted my academic decisions after returning to the United States. My experience motivated me to write my honors thesis on the Islam and female labor force participation (FLFP) rates in Morocco. To understand the impact of Islam on FLFP rates, I employed a mixed methods approach which consisted of a qualitative analysis of Islamic texts and a survey which I designed and distributed to over 500 Moroccans. The survey assessed participants’ religiosity and opinions on women in the workforce and the results were examined through the statistics test of Chi Square Tests of Independence. The research and writing process of my honors thesis was academically strenuous, but extremely rewarding.

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My new found confidence in myself from my study abroad experience also pushed me to join the International Scholars program and continue to enhance my international experience while at the University of Florida. I attended campus events such as talks at the African Studies department and coffee without borders which shed additional insight to global issues. While my expertise was Morocco, these events broadened my understandings of other African countries and helped me tailor other academic interests.

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All of these experiences and my desire to serve others culminated in my application to the Peace Corps in May of 2017. I was ecstatic to be considered and interviewed for the HIV outreach position in South Africa, and devastated when Peace Corps informed me that they were unable to offer me a position. I was forced to reevaluate my motivation, dedication, and capability to serve. I questioned my ability to live abroad long term and questioned the merit in my study abroad experience, international scholars and Peace Corps Prep program. I was torn between giving up my dream and vigorously pursuing it in the face of rejection.

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My drive and ambition forced me to choose the latter and I dedicated the next months to become a more competitive applicant for the Peace Corps. I put my Arabic language skills to use and in the summer of 2017 by designing and instructing a ten week Basic Arabic course through the Alachua County Library system. Sharing my Arabic language skills and experience in Morocco with 10-12 adults each week was extremely rewarding. Through Alachua County’s Libraries’ Literacy Program, I tutored a professor from Japan visiting the United States on a one year research scholarship. I also served as conversation partner through the English Language Institute. Passing on my knowledge of English and American culture was exciting and rewarding. Through these teaching experiences, I discovered I was as passionate about teaching foreign languages as I was about learning foreign languages.

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On November 19th, months after my initial rejection to the Peace Corps, I cried again, but this time because I was given an invitation to serve in the Peace Corps as a Secondary Education English teacher in Malawi. Through utilizing my initial rejection as motivation, I was able to enhance my skills and uncover a passion and talent for teaching English. Despite my family’s initial apprehension at me studying abroad, they are ecstatic that I’m following my dreams and have promised to come visit me.

My International Scholar’s language experience, coursework, campus events and study abroad experience all guided me to the Peace Corps, but more importantly to recognize my potential as an international agent of change. The activities in the International Scholar’s program inspired me, as I hope to inspire my family, my future students in Malawi, and all those I come in contact with, to think globally.