Kristin BARLOW

Student of The University of Notre Dame, Australia
Exchange to Sogang University, Korea

Every day, we are faced with new opportunities. A million different pathways present themselves to us each and every time we wake up to start a new day. Sometimes, it's easier to take the familiar road. However, one little 'yes' can change the course of our lives forever.

For the last five or six years, I have had an interest in South Korea and its culture. Yet, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have the opportunity to travel there as a student. I am an education major, so I always imagined that I would someday travel there to teach English, but in truth, never had I even considered that I might be blessed with the opportunity to study in a Korean University as an actual student.

Then one day, a dear friend of mine said to me, "Hey Kristin, did you hear that our university is offering scholarships to study abroad in South Korea? You should apply!" I immediately cast the thought aside because I just did not think it was realistic. But then, over the next few days, I asked myself the question that would change the path of my life forever: "Why not?"

Sometimes, we doubt ourselves. We doubt our ability to make decisions, we doubt our intellectual capabilities, and we doubt our role as a significant individual in this world. It scares me to think that I almost did not take the opportunity; that I was willing to continue living my life in complacency, never coming to realise my full potential to make a difference. Thankfully, I decided to take this opportunity. Was I scared? Of course! But there was a feeling in my gut - a mixture of excitement and a strong calling to exercise my full potential - that told me I was making the right decision.

Being on exchange taught me a lot of things. After arriving alone in a brand new country, in which I knew no one, it soon hit me that there was nothing holding me back from being my true self. I didn't have to hide anything about my personality. I was able to completely and totally be myself. The best thing I did was make the decision not to hold back. As a Catholic woman representing my university, I felt proud to represent the morals and values that my school stands for, and after identifying myself as such, I learnt so much about my identity and my role in society.

Korea is a beautiful country. I have found a culture that fascinates me so much, and I am happy to say that it is still in my plans to return there as an English teacher to fulfill my dream.

Sometimes, society wants to push you down. But the important thing for you to realise is that there is nothing stopping you from doing exactly what you want to do and being exactly who you want to be. I am so thankful to my family for supporting me, to God for blessing me, and to the Endeavour Australia Cheung Kong Awards. For my whole life, there has been an aching in my heart to do something big. Exchange helped me to learn about the world, learn about different cultures, learn about how to help others and mostly, it helped me form amazing friendships across seas that will last for a lifetime.

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