Ciao (hello)! My name is Natalie. I am 19 years old and I come from Los Angeles, California, but my family is from Peru. Growing up in LA, I have always loved the beach, spending time with my family and playing any sport.
I go to Pitzer College, which is about 2 hours away from where I grew up. I study Political Studies and Sociology. I am the first in my family to go to college and the first to study abroad. This is super exciting for me! I also play water polo for my school, which is like soccer and basketball in the water. You are not allowed to touch the bottom!
This summer, I was able to travel to Costa Rica, where I went on a 4-hour hike with my school on a property they use for research. We found more than 10 species of bamboo, which is an invasive species. We also found carvings in rocks that were made by Indigenous people who used to live on that land.
Now I am going to Parma, Italy, for this semester. Parma is a small city in northern Italy. It is famous for its cheese and its ham. Parmesan cheese was invented there! While I am there, I will learn Italian, eat so much food and hopefully go to Parma's club soccer games. I am also doing research on how people who move to Italy from other countries build a life there. I want to learn what makes them feel welcome and what makes it hard. I am also super excited to ride a high-speed train because we do not have those where I live!
I cannot wait to share my adventures with you and hear about everything you are doing as well!
Want to know more about how you can study or intern abroad when you are a college student? The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Learn more about the scholarship by visiting www.gilmanscholarship.org.
