Knowing that I had you as my audience pushed me to truly be in the moment and try new things!
When you guys grow and eventually study abroad yourselves, I want you to remember one thing. Never forget that the world is only as big as you make it! With so many places to explore, sights to see and foods to try, I want you to know that it all lies at your fingertips. Before coming to Thessaloniki, I never imagined that I would be living in a whole other part of the world with friends I probably would not have met had I not come here. I am beyond grateful for the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship, and I hope that one day you too can get the opportunity to experience memories like these with an organization as supportive and helpful as it is. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from or what you have been through; memories like this are once in a lifetime, so just go for it! And hey, maybe you’ll end up in Thessaloniki like I did!
Again, thank you for being such wonderful companions on this journey with me! I hope that one day I can come to Maine, where I can meet you all, but until then I’ll leave you with just a few final words: stay curious, keep learning and always put yourself out there!
Ο φίλος σου (Oh Fee-los Soo),
Katie
P.S. Thank you for the birthday wishes! And the Latin on top of the Pantheon means, “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, three times consul, built this”!
