I am currently glued to the fireplace in my aunt\u2019s house thanking myself for choosing a study abroad location that has a warm climate. Yesterday I left the sunshine state to fly to New Jersey to say goodbye to my family before leaving for the Island of Gods \u2013 Bali! On Sunday I will embark on a fourth month journey In Indonesia which will be full of new, exciting, and unique experiences.<\/p>\n
While I have never traveled to Asia, my previous travel experiences have prepared me to independently navigate foreign countries and embrace all that a culture has to offer. I like to think that I am a vagabond at heart \u2013 I constantly crave travel and I find comfort in change rather than in routine and security. As a former ballerina, I lived in three different cities growing up (Naples, New York, and Miami) to attend ballet schools, thus being able to adapt to new settings is a skill I acquired many years ago. I was born and raised in the States but I grew up in a Latin household that instilled within me strong family values, a hard work ethic, and a moral compass rooted in honesty, kindness, and love. I am both American and Chilean, however I also identify as a global citizen with an infinite curiosity and a passion for social justice and equality. Along with my fervor for traveling and experiencing other cultures, I am confident that my studies in Critical Media and Cultural Studies will prove to be helpful during my time abroad. Intersectionality, cultural relativism, and open-mindedness are all values that I have gained through my academic work as well as my personal experiences.<\/p>\n
With an open mind, compassion, patience, and curiosity, I am heartily optimistic that my sojourn in Bali will be a truly rewarding experience as well as a period of growth. I look forward to developing meaningful relationships with the people I meet, stepping outside of my comfort zone, and learning about myself. Next time I blog, I will be blogging from the other side of the world. Until then, selemat tinggal!<\/p>\n
-Bianca<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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