What's Next?

My choice to study abroad has been one of the best decisions I have made during my educational career. I am earning my international communication minor and part of my honors capstone by studying abroad, but it has offered me so much more than what is on paper. 

I am grateful for the opportunity to take classes I would not have been able to. The classes I am taking are not journalism classes, but they have everything to do with my future journalism career. In Media Representation, I am learning about how certain groups of people have been historically and continue to be represented in media. We look at femininity and masculinity, race, queer people, people with disabilities, and nationalities in movies, magazines, advertisements, music, etc. Working in media, it is important to me to hear different perspectives and how to fairly write about people in my stories. Big Questions for People and Planet has taught me about situations and problems worldwide. We learned about food insecurity, democracy, and war through the lenses of the people affected by it. These classes have opened my worldview and taught me things about the world I was unaware of.

I have not begun the job search process yet, but I have been told it will make me stand against other candidates. Employers look for people who are comfortable communicating with people from different cultures and backgrounds. It also has made me more of a flexible person—open to adapting. I have more photos and writing examples to add to my portfolio too. I was looking on Indeed for how to include it in my resume, and I am excited to talk about my study abroad experience in my next job interview.

Füssen, Germany

I think my study abroad experience will make me a better communicator and interviewer. It has opened my eyes to problems and solutions across the world. I feel more confident in myself and my abilities. I hope to get the opportunity to travel for work in the future and maybe even be a foreign correspondent. I am excited to go back to NAU and finish my degree. No matter what my future holds, my study abroad experience has prepared me. 

This blog post was written for HON491C