I’ve always had an insane curiosity about the world, and even dreamed of being an explorer who would discover new lands when I was a small child. I continue to dream of exploring the world, and discovering it for myself! I’m originally from Highland Mills, NY, a town located just north of New York City in the Hudson Valley.
I completed my bachelor’s degree at a university in the United States that required its students to have a “cross-cultural” experience, which essentially meant that I had a graduation requirement to study abroad. I chose to spend a semester in Aix-en-Provence, France in 2011, and the experience completely changed my life. After I returned, I did two more summer programs, one in Prague and one back in Aix-en- Provence. I also spent the last two years of my bachelor’s degree working part-time in the study abroad office at my university, and absolutely fell in love with the work that study abroad offices do.
I then moved to Cardiff, Wales to complete my Master’s degree in European Studies with a focus on Culture and Ideology in order to start a career in the field of international education. After completing my MA in 2014, I took a job in Prague, Czech Republic as an International Programs Officer at a university, where I currently work with students while they study abroad for a semester or summer in Prague.
In March 2014, I started my own travel blog, Study Hard Travel Smart, to share my experience and expertise with even more travelers. I use my site to post travel guides, travel tips and advice, and my current personal travel blog. The travel blog is specifically aimed at study-abroad students, as I believe that the type of traveling that students do while studying abroad is unique to any other type of travel. I also believe that traveling as a study abroad student does so much to enhance all of the benefits already gained by studying abroad.
Traveling has taught me so much about myself, and especially about the world around me. I love exploring new cultures and meeting new people, and I hope to visit as much of the world as I possibly can. I’m so blessed that my current job allows me the opportunity to travel for work, and is located in central Europe where I have access to so many incredible places to travel to on my own!