From Shanghai to Norway: Discovering my Passions

My experience in Shanghai with Connect-123 during the summer of 2019 brought me memories that remain close to my heart to this day, more than a year later. From meeting new people, with whom I still keep in touch with, to trying new things like rock climbing! and finding out more about my passions, like traveling, I would not have grown as much as a person without this opportunity.

Traveling, studying, interning, and adventuring in Shanghai gave me a lot of joy, lessons, and direction on what I wanted to do with my life. This experience is what most solidified my decision to obtain a Master’s degree outside of the U.S. because I really fell in love with traveling and learning overseas. I am now a Master’s student studying Global Health at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology! I recently arrived in Trondheim and unpacked all of my belongings, including a photo album of my friends and me at various places in Shanghai from The Bund to Yu Garden to Nanjing Road (all of which I recommend!).

Before my summer with Connect-123, my plan for the future was a bit fuzzy. After completing my summer internship with a tech start-up focusing on public relations, I realized what I wanted to do in the future. My dream job now is to be the director of a global health exchange program at a university. My internship in Shanghai prepared me for this path, so extremely thankful for that opportunity!

Another travel plan on my future radar is the Watson Fellowship, a fully-funded 1-year travel opportunity to pursue a project topic in any place of one’s choice, awarded to me from my undergraduate college. My project connects with women in STEM communities in Colombia, Rwanda, Oman, Russia, South Korea, and Australia. I will visit all of these places in 2022. My confidence, enjoyment, and imagination in traveling sprouted from my summer in Shanghai, and brought me where I am today.