As a first-generation college student raised in a rural town in Florida, I never thought I’d leave the country, let alone do it through a university-sponsored program. International travel felt like something other people did. For most of my life, studying abroad wasn’t just out of reach; it felt like a distant delusion. I didn’t have a passport, didn’t know anyone who had gone abroad, and had no idea where to even begin. That changed when I disc
overed Beyond120 and the Gilman International Scholarship. These two programs didn’t just provide funding. They gave me the permission and support to dream bigger. I learned how to write my first scholarship application, navigate logistics like obtaining a passport and financial aid, and mentally prepare for what was to come. When I was accepted to the program, I cried. It felt surreal.But the real transformation didn’t happen until I landed in Thessaloniki, jet-lagged, overwhelmed, and completely out of my comfort zone.
The culture shock was immediate. The language, the pace of life, the food, the history, it was all new. At first, I felt unsure of myself. I didn’t know the customs. I didn’t understand the pharmacy signs. I missed home. But over time, I learned to lean into the discomfort and let it teach me. I found beauty in the Greek way of life, in their value of slowness, connection, and community care. I shared meals with strangers who became friends. I sat in the same plazas where generations of stories unfolded. I visited ancient ruins, modern hospitals, and NGO offices where real people were doing real work to uplift their communities.
And I began to see my future in public health and medicine with new eyes.
As part of our course, I worked on a design-thinking project with a Greek nonprofit that supports vulnerable children. My group created a prototype to improve access to food and social services using empathy-driven design. I also conducted an ethnographic interview with a local social worker to explore barriers in mental health care. These weren’t just assignments. They were experiences that shaped how I think about equity, resource access, and resilience across borders.
I left Greece not just with course credits, but with newfound confidence, cultural fluency, and a vision for how I can bring global insight back to my local community. As someone who wants to improve rural healthcare in underserved areas, this experience taught me how to listen first, collaborate deeply, and lead with humility.
Now that I’m back in Florida, I find myself replaying moments from my time in Greece: laughing over meals with classmates, getting lost in side streets, stumbling through broken Greek with a pharmacist who still smiled and helped me. I’ve returned with more than passport stamps. I’ve returned with a new perspective, appreciation, and the conviction that I can thrive in unfamiliar spaces.
Studying abroad didn’t change who I am. It revealed what was already within me: resilience, curiosity, and a deep sense of purpose.
For any first-generation student who feels like studying abroad is out of reach: it’s not. With support from programs like Gilman and Beyond120, it’s more than possible. I’m living proof.
And I’ll carry that proof with me: into my education, into medicine, and into every community I serve.