To Study Abroad!!!

Back in June I attended the NSEP Scholarship convocation in Washington D.C. Why you ask, well I just happen to be an NSEP Boren Scholar, which means that I won't be paying for my year abroad, the government will! Good ol' government!

At this convocation, I met a lot of other students going abroad. It was pretty amazing seeing where everyone was going. The largest group was actually going to Egypt. And almost all of them were studying at the same place, The American University in Cairo. I have to say that despite the fact that I'm going to Russia, I'm pretty jealous. I would love to spend even a summer in Cairo. Hmm, maybe I will, maybe I will ... I just need to find some rich chump to send me ... (Just kidding I'm very grateful for my scholarship). The next highest was China, which I would also like to go to, maybe not to study, but definitely to visit. This (finally) was followed by us Russian scholars. Although we were third we still had about 19 or so in our group.

Altogether there were about 120 scholars, with people going to Japan, Brazil, Morocco, plus several other countries (a couple from the former Soviet Union). I gotta say that I met so many people going so many different places from so many different backgrounds. I even met one person going to Vladimir, Russia, we'll be future classmates.

I think this whole scholarship is one example the money well spent. And oddly enough the program was losing support and money until 9/11. Its real sad that something like that was needed to spark more government support for sending kids like me abroad, but when tragedy strikes the best thing you can do is find the good things that come from it. I mean just one of the 120 of us might be responsible for stopping the next 9/11, ya never know! Say what you will about the government or this administration, at least they know what is important to support.