Study Abroad Testimonies

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!