COLOMBIA
Each year, since I moved to the U.S., I have visited my family in Armenia. One of my most impactful visits was in 2014, when I formed my own three-month curriculum and taught English as a second language to orphans at a federal institution called Bienestar Familiar. While there, I also filmed a documentary on the socioeconomic differences between urban and rural Colombia.
My step-father owns a building in downtown Santiago and works with a property manager to rent it out to corporate tenants. This trip introduced me to the inner-workings of real estate and directly influenced me to seek my first internship in college at a real estate private equity firm. Furthermore, I am pursuing a major in finance and minor in real estate.
CHILE
FRANCE
In high-school, I took part in an exchange program with Lycee St. Ursula in Paris. after hosting my exchange student during the Fall semester, I lived with him in the Spring. There, I practiced my french-speaking skills as the designated translator of a 21 person group and learned lots about French culture through guided tours and local immersion.
When I was twelve years old, four members of my family in Armenia moved to Lloret de Mar. They have since married and started their own families there like my mother did here, which has allowed me to discover Catelan culture and visit relatives in a new place. I am considering completing a six-month rotation position in Spain with Microsoft as a result.
SPAIN
ITALY
During my one month voyage across this country, I began in small towns on the Amalfi coast including Sorrento, Positano and Capri, taking trains and driving north to Florence, Rome and finally, Venice. During this time, I discovered magnificent artwork in countless museums and divulged in the delicious Italian cuisine, a staple of this culture.
My two-week trip to Thailand was the first time I have genuinely experienced a language barrier. Learning how society works across the globe and communicating with locals through hand signals was an unforgettable experience that showed me the beauty of the unknown. One of the most beautiful aspects of this side of the world is its geography and terrain.
THAILAND
UNITED STATES
Even my domestic travels during college have presented international exposure. To begin, each state in the U.S. could be described as a different country from one another. From terrain, to people and even cuisine, I have hiked in the summer on the snow-capped mountains of Lake Tahoe the day before living in the concrete jungle for three months with no mountains.
REST OF WORLD
My previous experience have only made me hungrier to continue discovering new places around the world. Being an international scholar does not stop after graduation - one my career begins, I will continue to be a global citizen. Just this summer, I am going to four different countries and am sure that my job at Microsoft will present even more opportunities!