"It was the trip that opened my mind and heart, helped me to strengthen relationships that needed to be strengthened and eliminate relationships that needed to be eliminated, and changed my way of believing everything I thought I knew. It made me who I am at this point of my life and who I will be in the future. It brought clarity to who I've always been. By jumping, literally, outside of my comfort zone...I found myself. What could be more special?"
-Anna (on studying abroad in South Africa), July 11th, 2014
HERE'S MY STORY...
As a career-driven little girl with an intimidating amount of curiosity and passion to implement into the world, I knew from a young age that I wanted to do great things with my life.
I grew up with a love for various interests including travel, dance, reading, and writing. I learned early in life that I prefer to maximize my interests and strengths to the fullest, focusing on what I love and what I do well rather than being mediocre at lots of things. Achieving goals at their absolute greatest potential and making it to the top became my "thing." Thus, my interests coupled with my determination led to many great accomplishments, leadership roles, and experiences in my life of which I am rightfully proud.
But, I wanted more.
In May 2014, I set out to Cape Town, South Africa with my college roommate/sorority sister/best friend on a 5-week study abroad trip with a program called Go Global. I went cage diving with great white sharks, jumped the highest commercial bungee jump in the world, went skydiving, hiked one of the Seven Wonders of Nature, toured the vineyards in the countryside, rode an elephant, went on safari, put my feet into the Indian Ocean while watching a sunset and a full moon simultaneously, and abseiled the tallest rappel in the world. What was my favorite part of the trip, you ask? None of these things.
Before you X-out of the site and deem me a crazy person -- here's my disclaimer: all of these adventures were mind-blowingly incredible, mesmerizing, and truly remarkable. They just weren't as incredible as the friendships I built and the self-discoveries I made along the way.
I documented my trip with a travel blog on my personal website, trying my best to recreate the experience for my family and friends back home and for myself later down the road. Upon my return, Go Global reached out to me and asked me to hold a Social Media Intern position, writing the company blog. I was also asked to hold a Community Leader position on campus, which involved recruiting and marketing for the company.
But, I wanted more.
In February 2015, I received an email that invited me back abroad as a Go Global International Intern in Cape Town, South Africa. I will be interning in Cape Town on two trips with the program this summer, which totals to about 8 weeks.
But, I wanted more.
I booked my return flight home out of Europe so that I could travel throughout the United Kingdom, Italy, and France -- just because.
--After all of those links I showed you, you might be wondering why I'm creating yet another blog...
I'm a firm believer that diving into a variety of life experiences is what creates a wholesome, well-rounded, and well-versed adult.
I live for my next adventure: testing physical limits, exploring emotional capacities, broadening mental perspectives.
After my journey of self-discovery as a student abroad, I realized I'm simply not the same person I was when I started Love All Things Britney. The site holds a lot of work that I'm proud of, but it doesn't have the capacity to hold the bigger and better mindsets that I'm currently experiencing. I'm choosing to close that chapter and open a new one, to ensure that my growth and progress coincides with everything I preach. The site will still exist, but it will no longer host my travel blogs.
Go Global has proven to be one of the interests listed in the beginning of this introduction of which I am motivated to make my way to the top; I worked hard for these positions. I am ecstatic and inspired to give back to the company that has given me so much. To invest the insight and knowledge that I have acquired in my journey in other students on their journey is unequivocally one of the greatest opportunities I have ever been given.
Follow my blurbs this summer on this site! Adventure, nature, leadership, service, food, fashion, culture, thoughts....all things travel. Just this time, it will be in the perspective of someone who is taking on the same trip without fresh eyes and with a leadership role. Not to mention...I'll be flying around the world completely alone.
I can't bring you on this adventure with me, but I can paint a picture of my travels for you through my writing. What do you say?
3 continents. 2 months. 1 badass solo traveler.
The Summer Intern,
Anna