Photo exhibiting excitement for the upcoming experience
What are your plans for the summer? The question that is continuously asked around Northwestern and at home. Everyone wants to know what you are planning on doing or accomplishing over the summer. Every time someone asked me this question, I would excitedly say, “I’m going to be studying abroad in Serbia and Bosnia!”
Through my time at Northwestern, I have mostly learned about others culture or health in a distant way. Reading about a culture from someone who actually lived within the context or about how certain determinants of health increase disparities within certain communities. This is the reason I am so excited about this study abroad opportunity. This program gives me an opportunity to completely immerse myself in not one but two different countries and cultures. I have an opportunity to understand the relevant health and political issues that are present in both contexts. The Comparative Public Health program gives me a chance to learn about the context in which I am actually living in. The people who are going to be teaching the content are actually experts in the country or have lived through the Yugoslav Wars.
As a person who is very interested in public health and conflict, this program is the perfect fit for me. I will be able to understand how each country has worked through the conflict to increase health outcomes in their countries.
So with all of this excitement, I look down at my floor to see two large suitcases waiting to be packed. The time has finally come for me to start my adventure in Europe!