One month out of every year in my life has been spent exploring an exotic country. My heart is painted by unforgettable memories that I have had abroad. I have been taken away by the natural beauties of the Central and South American rain forests, marveled at incredible Mediterranean sunsets, and admired the rice plantation covered mountains of Thailand. Those short vacations taught me much about the world, human nature, and especially about myself. Through witnessing so many unique walks of life, I have grown into a much more confident because I have seen my reflection in so many different faces.
Many cultural differences lie between cultures in European countries and the American way of life.
I have never felt completely European nor completely American and questioned my own place for some years. However, with maturity, my experiences abroad gained new meaning and I stopped seeking one, set identity. People are far more alike than they are different. I grew up in Denver and graduated from Cherry Creek High School, not a very diverse place. Many freshman find it difficult to make the transition from an essentially homogeneous high school to a large University because it can be intimidating to achieve a sense of belonging in such an immense crowd.