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Humber Goes Global: Mia in California

Name: Mia Harris
Program: Guelph-Humber Bachelor of Applied Science in Kinesiology
Year of Study: Third 

Motivation to go abroad: The opportunity was presented to me by one of my fellow professors and it sounded like a wonderful experience. Ever since I was young it has been my dream to travel to California and when this trip was presented to us I did not want to pass it up. Plus, the itinerary sounded amazing- really guided towards activities that related to our program.

Highlights: One of the greatest experiences, for me at least, about this trip was we went to the U.S. Olympic Training centre and got to ride BMX bikes on their professional BMX racetrack. We were instructed by professional BMX rider Tyler Brown who was a great teacher, super encouraging and really supportive. Definitely one of the most scariest and thrill-seeking experiences I have ever had.



Memorable moments:
 The view of the mountains. They almost didn't look real- kind of like a backdrop from a movie. They were absolutely breathtaking and pictures of them didn't do justice. 

 

How has going abroad helped you as a person: I feel going abroad has helped me develop more of my independence and. Being able to venture and explore on your own and take initiative into your own itinerary has allowed me to evolve and incorporate that independence into my everyday life now. Also it has exposed me more to the world. We get so close-minded living in one area for a long period of time that we forget what else is out there. Studying abroad has made me want to travel more and learn about our world.

How has going abroad has/will shape your future career: Now that I've travelled abroad it has inspired me to partake in an internship somewhere in a different country (California would be nice). It has opened my eyes up to how different our countries are and that people have different methods and practices on how to do things; there isn't just one set away of how things are done and I think it's neat to be able to experience and learn different philosophies and perspectives. Also it allows for networking and making connections with people to get/give contact information for possible career opportunities.

Advice: Do it. Do it while you're young. Take any opportunity you can get. Don't worry about the money. If you're going to be in debt, might as well enjoy yourself. Plus, if you were to do any of these trips on your own it would be much more costly. And cost shouldn't be a deciding factor. Their are ways to get around it, and I assure you it is totally worth it.