Study Abroad Testimonies
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Shelby Roberts
Global Studies
When I was a little girl, I dreamed of getting the chance to study abroad in college. In high
school I got a taste of going abroad without my family on a leadership service program and I fell
in love with traveling. The high of experiencing a culture so different from your own, diving in
headfirst and completely immersing yourself is a feeling I crave constantly. The second I heard
about the Nepal trip coming into my freshman year of college I knew that was the program I
wanted to go on. Many of the other programs sounded amazing as well, but when else would I
have the opportunity to go to Nepal in my lifetime? Not only would I get to travel around and
experience different parts of the country for four weeks, but it would be followed by a six-week
internship where I could put the skills I have learned at Auburn to the test. When I found out the
Nepal program was up and running again after the pandemic, I signed up the first day
registration opened. This summer has been a mo:mo, temple, dal bhat, filled dream and has
exceeded my expectations more than I could have imagined.
I expected Nepal to be a big
learning experience, but I did not expect it to change my views and thoughts as much as it has.
Not to mention, Nepal is stunningly beautiful. When I told friends and family where I was
completing my study abroad, some expressed concern, while many others didn’t even realize
Nepal was a country, let alone where it was located. In all honesty I did not know much about
Nepal either besides it being the country of Everest and the birthplace of Buddha. Through our
tours of Kathmandu learning about social businesses and what they do to combat human
trafficking, our village homestays throughout our trek in the lower Himalayas, staying at a resort
lakeside in Pokhara, and bumping around in a jeep in search of safari animals in Chitwan, this
country has brought me new perspective. I have learned about the Nepali culture and the locals
have accepted us in with open arms and are always willing to share more about their way of life.
I know that the relationships I have built here will extend farther than in the borders of this
country. For my internship I work alongside a local NGO, that provides a safe home for recently
rescued trafficking survivors. Such a large percentage of girls end up back with their trafficker
because they do not receive proper aftercare.
The project I am working with works to provide
more than adequate aftercare to help these girls heal and eventually reintegrate them back into
their communities. The organization has five teams: teachers, counselors, social workers,
security, and caregivers, who have all gone through trauma care training. Through working with
a rescue and investigation team they are able to rescue girls from India and Nepal and bring
them safely to the home where they will each have their own care plan based on their individual
needs. I am so lucky to be a part of an organization filled with such compassionate people who
want to talk about the untalked about. I could not recommend the Nepal study abroad program
enough. Coming in I was very nervous not knowing any of the other Auburn students who were
also signed up, but I can now say I will be headed back to the plains with people who have
become my best friends and my support system. Leaving Nepal is going to be incredibly
difficult, and I have already been planning my next trip. Although this trip has taught me more
about myself and brought a new global perspective, I feel that I am just not quite finished here.
Everest base camp here I come!