"My Biggest Adventure Yet" by Macalah Pcolar
Hello everyone!
My name is Macalah Pcolar and I am a junior at St. Lawrence University. I am a Global Studies and Sociology major with a minor in Arabic Studies. St. Lawrence is located in Upstate New York in a small town named Canton, which is just a short drive away from the Canadian border. This snowy rural town is also the place I call home, where both myself and my parents grew up. Despite my small-town roots, I’ve been lucky enough to travel a lot these past few years thanks to my university.
Photo Credit: Pcolar, 2020
The second semester of my freshman year, I was able to study abroad in Bordeaux, France! This was my first real trip out of the country, and I loved every second of learning about a new language and culture. I enjoyed learning French so much that I spent the next summer working as an au pair in Montpellier, France in order to keep practicing and exploring!
The Fountain of the Trois Grâces in Montpellier, France. Photo credit: Pcolar, 2020
Since I studied abroad my first year, I’ve been able to gain a new confidence that has allowed me to travel to over 30 countries, many of which I did all by myself!
Macalah in London, England. Photo credit: Pcolar, 2020
I was also able to take a summer course in Israel and Palestine through my university. This trip allowed me to have a deeper understanding of the issues taking place in the region and it inspired me to start taking Arabic when I returned to campus that fall. Ever since that experience I’ve become deeply invested in studying the Middle East and have declared it as my regional focus in my Global Studies major.
Eye-popping colors in Mexico City, Mexico. Photo credit: Pcolar, 2020
During my free time, I love to study! That’s right: I'm a HUGE nerd. I am hoping to enter a PhD program after I finish undergraduate. In what you might ask? Well, I’m still deciding that! Hopefully, Jordan will help me to confirm what I am most interested in. Besides the two languages I’m learning, I am also very interested in Gender Studies, Climate Change, and International Inequality.
Visiting the famous Venetian canals in Italy! Photo credit: Pcolar, 2020
My hobbies also include photography, travel journaling, and volunteering! While I’m at school, I work two jobs. I waitress at a hotel restaurant and I work as a teaching assistant to one of my Sociology professors, so I am always very busy. You can usually find me in the library, at work, or in a foreign country!
I’ve had so many great opportunities to travel and study abroad! Photo credit: Pcolar, 2020
Needless to say, I am ecstatic to be heading to Jordan next week! This semester I will be able to combine my two biggest passions: traveling and studying important topics. I’m so excited to learn more about the culture, practice my Arabic, and meet some amazing people along the way.
That’s it for now, but stay tuned!
