UQ Program: Bachelor of Journalism
Before boarding my flight to the United States, study abroad meant many things to me. Notably it seemed overwhelming; complicated visa forms, foreign student enrolment procedures, funding applications, travel insurance forms, health insurance forms, fees, some more fees, and then a few more fees after that.
Had I thrown my hands in the air and walked away from the process, I’d never have had the opportunity to attend President Obama’s State of the Union speech or secure press credentials to the United States Capitol Building through an internship I completed alongside my study.
I’d have missed dinners with Ambassadors and media elites, trekking the snowy streets of Manhattan, sailing the historic harbour of Portland, Maine, witnessing the world’s largest popcorn ball in fields of Iowa, roadtripping the deep 
south, cheering as the Red Sox won at Fenway Park, experienced the bright lights of Chicago, flown over the astonishing red canyons of the wild west or enjoyed the palm lined beaches and sunny skies of Los Angeles.
As a student of journalism and politics, my time on exchange at American University in Washington DC invited endless opportunities and adventure. From a nervous international student at the back of the orientation hall, I was able to mingle with world leaders, work for a renowned Washington media outlet, study at the heart of American politics and land a position as senior staff on a U.S. House of Representatives election campaign.
My time in America was nothing short of vibrant and diverse, an experience which has opened countless doors professionally, personally and academically.