After my sophomore year, I decided to leave the UW campus and travel for a year and a half while pursuing my education. I completed five different study abroad programs, located in Berlin, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Seoul, and Rome. Each came with its own challenges and unique beauty: I found myself discovering pieces of myself in places I had never been and in people I didn’t know. Before I left, I remember many people asking me if I was afraid, excited, nervous—I always responded with “all of those things at once!” I found that to be true with traveling as well: there are moments when you feel yourself walking through the stars, and the next as if they have collapsed around you. What I love about traveling is its ability to bring the complexity of the human condition to life, allowing us to explore ourselves while we explore uncharted territory. This piece brings together lessons I learned, people I met, and memories from my time abroad.
Tania is a senior studying Political Science with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. She is the Canadian daughter of two Iraqi immigrants, an avid cappuccino drinker, an intersectional feminist, and lover of the colour yellow. On the weekends, you can find her buying sunflowers from the farmers market in the mornings and out for sushi with friends at night.
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