What inspired you to go abroad?
What inspired me to go abroad was a mix of restlessness and curiosity—a need to understand the world beyond my small orbit. I always sensed that life was happening in different colors everywhere else, and I wanted to break out of the familiar. I wanted to feel what it meant to really live, not just observe.
Going abroad felt like the chance to expand who I was, to see humanity up close, and to let the world change me in ways staying home never could.
Morning Program, TED talks with local experts from the region.
Why did you choose Baret Scholars?
I chose Baret Scholars because it wasn’t a traditional program—it promised something far deeper. I didn’t want a simple semester abroad; I wanted movement, discomfort, meaning, and growth.
Baret offered a year of travel through multiple countries, while learning from leaders, activists, artists, and communities. It aligned with the way I see the world: interconnected, human, and constantly shifting.
It wasn’t just education—it was transformation, and I knew I needed that.
What was your favorite part about your host country/city?
Every city became a different classroom, but what I loved most was how each place held a completely different rhythm of life.
India taught me reflection, Nepal taught me observation, Buenos Aires, Brazil, and Paris taught me art as an expression in every human form, and Kenya taught me the connection between mind and nature.
But what I truly loved everywhere was the feeling of blending into a city that wasn’t mine, and becoming little pieces of them; of the people that I meet, the places I see, the perspectives I hear—learning its streets, its humor, its habits—until it began to feel like home, everywhere I went, I could find a sense of home.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
Orientation at Baret Scholars.
My experience became extraordinary because it wasn’t just about seeing new places—it was about understanding them.
I lived ten years of emotional, cultural, and personal growth in nine months. I connected with people whose stories mirrored mine in ways I didn’t expect. I learned that no matter what corner of the world someone comes from, we’re not that different.
The world became smaller and bigger at the same time, and that changed me permanently.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
The staff—from the Deans to the Fellows and the local coordinators—were a constant source of grounding. They weren’t just program staff; they felt like mentors, sometimes even like family.
Whether it was emotional support, academic guidance, cultural context, or simply helping us navigate a new city, they created a safety net that allowed us to explore freely while knowing we were supported at every step.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
Istanbul, Turkey, January 2025. Baret Scholars
I wish I had slowed down more to truly absorb every second with full mental conciseness. With so much movement and stimulation, it’s easy to fall into the rhythm of constant “next thing.”
Even traveling, I fought with my low ability to be present, as if a moment wasn't as heavy until it became a memory. I wish I had spent more time journaling, sitting on benches, or simply holding moments still.
Sometimes I tried to experience everything, and in doing so, I forgot to breathe fully in some places, to the point that it felt like a dream. I had many errors during this amazing year, the way they made me grow, reflect, and know myself, sometimes makes me wish I had committed more errors, not to be so worried, to just experience.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
A typical day started with the Morning Program—three hours of talks, seminars, field visits, or conversations with incredible local leaders who reshaped how I saw the world.
After that, I explored the city with friends, worked on my capstone, joined a Fellowship seminar, or had advising sessions.
Afternoons meant discovering cafés, walking endlessly, getting lost on purpose, or finding small moments of quiet. Endless conversations, connections, and reflections towards our surroundings.
What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?
In my free time, I loved wandering new neighborhoods with no destination. I also spent hours talking with my peers about life, culture, identity, and what it meant to be human in different contexts.
I visited museums, bookstores, local markets, and a lot of parks with good benches. I tried foods I’d never heard of, watched sunsets in cities I had only seen in photos, and collected small moments that still feel alive in me.
Kathmandu, Nepal April 2025. Baret Scholars
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
We stayed in centrally located hotels in each home-base city, which made exploring extremely easy.
What I loved most was living footsteps away from my peers. It created a sense of community—a small tribe moving together through the world. It felt safe, connected, and full of spontaneous adventures, like knocking on someone’s door at 11 pm just to talk or plan a midnight walk.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
You should know that Baret isn’t just a program—it’s a mirror. It will show you who you are and who you could become.
You will be challenged emotionally, culturally, and intellectually. You will be tired, overwhelmed, amazed, and deeply alive. If you come willing to be transformed,
the year will give you more than you can imagine.
Would you recommend Baret Scholars to others? Why?
Yes, without hesitation. Baret gives you something no classroom, no trip, and no traditional program can: the experience of living, learning, and feeling the world in real time. It pushes you to grow from discomfort, to see humanity up close, and to build friendships that feel like family.
If someone is searching for depth, perspective, and real growth, this is the right place.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
The biggest benefit of traveling abroad is breaking the invisible walls around your worldview.
Traveling forces you to expand, to question, to understand others deeply. You stop seeing the world through the lens of “me” and start seeing it as a shared human experience. You realize empathy is not an idea—it’s something you live.
Patagonia, Argentina. November 2024. Baret Scholars
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Coming home feels different because I’m different. I move with more awareness, more patience, more understanding.
I now see connection everywhere—in strangers, in conversations, in everyday moments. I feel more capable, more grounded, and more open. The world no longer feels distant; it feels accessible, familiar, and intertwined with who I am.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel is not about the number of countries you visit—it’s about the depth with which you experience them.
It’s allowing a place to challenge your assumptions, soften you, teach you, and shift something inside you. It’s not consumption; it’s connection. It’s letting the world mark you in ways that last long after you’ve left.