To Italy and Beyond

It is hard to believe that I will be leaving for Italy in less than a day, as I sit here with all of my bags still unpacked. While I’ve traveled internationally before, I don’t know if any of those trips have prepared me for what I’m about to experience.

At a young age, I attended Hyde Elementary School in Wichita, KS where we focused heavily on international studies. I can still recall my lines from our “know your world” presentations on countries like Tasmania and Brazil. Did you know that the Tasmanian Devil is the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial and can eat up to 40% of their body weight in 30 minutes?

While a fact like that probably won’t come in handy as I’m trying to ask Italian locals questions like, “Where is the bathroom?” or “How do I get to the hospital?”, this background encouraged me to be inquisitive about the world around me and to pursue the things I found interesting.

Now at the University of Kansas (KU), I’ve grown to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone as I explore the world around me, be that in Kansas, Guatemala, Nicaragua, or Italy.

While this trip will offer lots of opportunities for fun and travel, I am most excited to learn about business in an international setting. I know the professors at CIMBA will expect me to learn as much as I would in a full course in Lawrence, KS and I’m excited for the challenge.

I think the hardest thing for me on this trip will be missing my family. Since I came home this past Tuesday, I’ve seen my (not so) little brother graduate from high school, my talented little sister become a city league track and field champ, and my older sister graduate from college (as pictured above). Being half a world away will be hard, but maybe when I get back I can hold the coveted title of “Mom and Dad’s Favorite Child” for a week!

Like I said before, I still haven’t packed yet and my flight leaves in the morning — does anybody really even know how many pairs of underwear you need to pack for a one month trip to Italy?

Until next time – Jake