Achieve a Dream - Study Abroad in Australia

Erica Borja Start Date: Nov 17, 2016 - End Date: Mar 16, 2017
  • Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

My Travel Story

by: Erica Borja Start Date: Nov 17, 2016 - End Date: Mar 16, 2017
Greetings!

I have recently been accepted into a California State University International Program (CSU IP) stationed in Melbourne, Australia. This program will begin this upcoming spring semester in February 2017 until November 2017. That's right, I am hoping to study abroad for a full academic year! I will be taking courses for Exercise Science and I will be exploring various community wellness initiatives in Australia.

Studying abroad has been a personal dream of mine for a little over 2 years.
Now being in my 3rd year of college as a Kinesiology major, I never thought I would actually be able to take on this journey. In my home of Northridge, CA I am comfortable. I am blessed to have family and friends that support me through all successes and failures. I bring together communities through student-led exercise programs. I work on and off campus to surround myself with people that support mental and physical wellness, all-inclusivity, and student development. I have CSUN to thank for the opportunity to learn from such a diverse society. 

In Australia, I will be uncomfortable. I will have to adapt to, learn, and grow in a new country, with a new community. I have to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. I want to know what fitness and wellness is like abroad. I want to observe different perspectives of people that do not look, act, or learn like me. I want to help people reach a complete state of well-being with initiatives such as disease prevention and health promotion. I want to know what experiences I can explore, so I can develop my character and my cultural self-awareness. This is what inspires me to travel abroad. My passion to be immersed in a journey that will allow me to go through experiential learning and stretch myself farther than I ever have before.

I like to believe that I create an impact here in America. Can I create an impact abroad...not only for my career but for the communities I meet? There is so much unknown possibilities to discover, and I can only hope that if I am able to fund my time abroad, I can then apply my experiences here...back home in America.

So far my total program cost will be supplemented through CSUN funding and extra savings from my two part-time jobs. I have applied to multiple (pending) scholarships. With that being said, it is unknown to me if my scholarships will support the rest of my program cost abroad. Loans are also being processed.

Any support you are able to provide will contribute to partial living accommodations, books/materials, local/international travel, and most importantly...will contribute to a student that will work hard to impact a community abroad and represent America well--that's me!

I am so grateful for this opportunity and for your support!

If you have any further questions regarding my journey thus far and what is to come, feel free to contact me.

Thank you always,

Erica Borja
  • Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Updates

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  • Where To Next?

    Where To Next?
    Thank you for all of you that have influenced me in some way or another up to this point. 7 days left till take off.