My name is Michelle White and I am a junior at the College of Charleston. I am thrilled to be
participating in the study abroad program through the College of Charleston in Trujillo, Spain! I
chose this program primarily because the program allows me to continue completing classes that
count towards my major in Women’s and Gender Studies. Not only will the classroom time help
me work towards my degree, but living in a new culture will continue to add to my interest in
understanding people and places who are different from me. This directly relates to my studies
through the Women’s and Gender Studies program. The Trujillo program maintains affordability
and will provide me with an array of experiences that I know will be more than worth the cost of
the trip. Receiving aid through the Center for International Education Scholarship has been a
tremendous blessing as I have paid my own way through school and take out loans in order to
cover all tuition costs. I’m expectant for all that I will learn while in Trujillo and feel thankful to
have the resources to travel! During my time abroad, my main goal is to take time to focus on
myself and discover new passions. As a non-traditional student, I am accustomed to working full
time and completing classes. So I’m excited to take this opportunity to have a sharper focus on
class time as well as investing in a new culture that I hope will awaken new desires and dreams.
Having the opportunity to live with a host family is another aspect of my time abroad that I’m
excited about. I believe it will contribute to an even richer experience and hope to glean from it
all that I can! The brief research I have done, alongside a few years of Spanish classes, have
prepared me to enjoy a rich culture in food and family. I’m ready and excited to practice my
Spanish!