Help Brittany Make it to a study abroad program!

Brittany Eva Start Date: Feb 9, 2022 - End Date: Aug 8, 2022
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Leadership/Training Program
  • Ireland
  • Japan
  • Spain
  • Greece
  • India
  • Malaysia
  • Vietnam
  • South Korea

My Travel Story

by: Brittany Eva Start Date: Feb 9, 2022 - End Date: Aug 8, 2022
  • Cultural Exchange
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Leadership/Training Program
Hello,


I am a twenty-tree-year-old student living in New Zealand. I come from a beautiful country and I have greatly enjoyed exploring all it has to offer. Although since I was a young child it has been my dream to venture off into the world, which I would love to come true. Part of that dream was the opportunity to study abroad, immersing myself in different cultures and new experiences that would last a lifetime. This is how I came across the Semester at Sea program, a tertiary level education that travels the ocean taking its students to many different countries and the curriculum is heavily based as to which country is visited that week.


I come from a low-income family that was never able to settle in one location, due to displacement in relationships between adults. I would describe my family as dysfunctional at best. My father chose not to be involved in my life and went on to marry another and start a new family, forgetting about his firstborn. Younger this would be hard to grasp and I am hurt he never wanted to be involved in my life as I saw he had taken the rest of my half-siblings on various overseas travels and I have yet to experience what lies beyond the border of New Zealand. It was never easy growing up as my mother was raising four daughters on a single income, she is a figure I look up to and we have been through some terrible times as a family, but there was a lot of stress and that usually came with the topic of finances. 


On top of this, I also suffered from Epilepsy. The worst of it affected my early childhood. I was on a lot of different medications trying to manage my seizures or other symptoms that came with the disorder. At the time a lot of the medications were still in the trial phase in my country, which meant my mother had to spend thousands of dollars on these drugs just for them to make my symptoms worse. I suffered a lot of negative side effects from these medications, these still affect me to this day, however, I have not left Epilepsy to stop me from pursuing my dreams.


I was told growing up as I suffered terribly from seizures, which would leave me hospitalized for a time and absent from school, that I would never live a normal life. I have overcome a lot of hurdles to stand where I am today. I can proudly say I have beaten the odds that come from the disorder and I was able to have my independence, get my drivers licence and go on to tertiary education. This is a great achievement for me, as I proved my doctors wrong while also managing the condition without the need for medication since I was a child.


Later in life, I am still met with challenges. I have suffered PTSD due to a circumstance in my childhood as well as other mental health conditions which have made it hard to focus. I am recovering and want to put in place ways that I can overcome this challenge as I have with others in the past.


I feel as though being a part of the Semester at Sea program will give me an amazing experience that will change my perspective on life. I have not been able to board a boat since I lost my grandfather a few years ago to cancer. He was my best friend and everyday I hope to make him proud. We used to bond with our love of being on the ocean, and I feel as though I would flourish in this new environment. If I was able to fund enough money I would be able to embark on this program and make so many memories overseas that would last a lifetime. As well as working towards a degree at a chosen tertiary education for a career in tourism. This would give me a lot of experience travelling the world and learning about so many different cultures I have only heard about on the internet. I would also like to be put out of my comfort zone and into the action that is found worldwide.


This is a dream I simply cannot afford on my own. I would be forever grateful to anyone that is happy to donate to this fundraiser.


  • Ireland
  • Japan
  • Spain
  • Greece
  • India
  • Malaysia
  • Vietnam
  • South Korea

Updates

1

  • Beginning Of The Dream

    Beginning of the dream
    Thank you in advance for anyone that will donate!
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More Travel Information

Adventure Registry

  • Camera

    200

  • Travel Diary

    $ 10

  • Camera Film

    $ 80

  • Bag

    50

  • Snacks

    50