"Looking Ahead at New Horizons" by Veronica Tis
Pictured above is the horizon of one of my favorite places in the US, the Grand Canyon; and yes, the smiling girl squatting is me after trudging down a long path of snow and mud. My name is Veronica Tis, and I hope that through this first blog post I can provide you a brief snapshot of my life, including my hobbies, my background, as well as what I am looking forward to through this exciting new experience I am about to embark on in Jordan. I can easily say that the trip that I will leave for this week is an opportunity for me to step into new experiences and look ahead at new horizons; hence, the title of this post.
As a Senior at the George Washington University studying International Affairs, I have always loved learning about and immersing myself in various cultures through travel. My background as one of four in a military family has contributed greatly to my desire to continue travelling on my own and with friends to various places across the US and the world. As you will be able to tell through my photos here and in future posts, no matter where I travel, I will always find myself hiking and road tripping. I firmly believe that these are the best ways to meet new people and discover locations off the beaten path.
My first time travelling and living alone was, as cheesy as it is to say, a life-changing experience that gave rise to a greater level of self-confidence and cultural awareness within me. The summer of 2019, I had the opportunity to work as a teacher for a small NGO in Argentina. This six-week experience revealed to me the importance of patience when learning a new language. Despite having studied Spanish since elementary school, conversation, especially with children, was undoubtedly a challenge. By the time my six weeks was over, however, I had conquered my fear of speaking, and returned to the US with a commitment to continue stepping outside my comfort zone in pursuit of personal development and knowledge about the world around me.
Soon I will once again be stepping outside the comfort of family and friends in Baltimore, Maryland to study abroad in Jordan. I know that this will be an amazing opportunity for me to learn Arabic and broaden my understanding of the Middle East. Though this will be my first time studying Arabic, I know that there is no better way to learn a language than throwing yourself right in. So, here’s to a semester of new friendships and new experiences and stepping into new horizons.
Veronica Tis is a senior at George Washington University and is studying on the Area and Arabic Studies program in Amman, Jordan this fall.
