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My Niche

Everyone has their niche.  Whether it’s painting, reading, or music, there’s always something that a person loves to do or is good at.  For me, it’s traveling.

In the 8th grade I went to Japan for ten days, and it changed my life.  Before I went on that 10 day trip to Nishiwaki, I was timid and unsure of myself.  When I came back I had transformed into someone who was aware of just how much the world has to offer.  Since then it has been my goal to go on a longer trip, but I have only been able to get snippets of other cultures through a few smaller trips. At that time I thought I would travel for a year in college, but once I spent a semester at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington, DC I knew I wanted something more than a classroom to learn from; I had been pushed to think more deeply than I ever had before, which completely changed my way of thinking.

Ever since I was a kid my ultimate goal was to go to college, so up until my semester in DC I had been working blindly to get good grades; I never questioned what I was doing or learning.  I came back from DC with a hazy picture of my future and skeptical of what the right path after high school actually was; my tunnel vision to college was abruptly redirected. That is when I decided to take a gap year, and Global Citizen Year gave me the right amount independence while still providing a support system for Fellows (participants in the program), so I decided to apply.

As the days wind down, and it gets closer to August 19th, I can feel my excitement growing.  I don’t know exactly where I’ll be staying, or exactly what I’ll be doing.  I’m more than willing, however, to push myself to the very edge of who I am and come out a stronger person.  Those are my hopes for the time I spend in Senegal.

Olivia Hill

About Olivia Hill


Olivia recently joined her school newspaper and has enjoyed learning an entirely new skill set. She attended the School for Ethics and Global Leadership in DC during her junior year, and as a result enjoys discussing ethics and other philosophical questions. She has recently become more involved in women's issues and hopes to one day have an impact on the continuing struggle for equality.

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