Picture it: open skies tinted blue, flat land for miles draped in wheat, weathered cattle contained by fencing, dusty two-track roads, and not a face you do not know. Here, in this place, the nearest city with a population greater than 8,000 people is three hours away in any direction.  

Before leaving for Cedarville, Ohio, as a first-generation college student, I had lived my whole life in a small town in southeastern Colorado that matches the description above. All I had ever known was weeknight high school basketball games, volleyball matches, Saturday track meets, family-owned businesses, and consistently seeing everyone I knew at the local grocery store.  

I pass by this rustic sign near the Grenoble train station every day on my way home from class. 

My friend and I enjoy hiking the trails in Grenoble, and here we are after a hike, jumping for joy at the sight of the most photographed tree in France! 

Going to college was my first taste of the unknown. Once my mind had expanded beyond the glory of high school sports and the simplicity of small-town life, I grew tremendously fond of stretching the boundaries of my comfort zone. Never in my life had I experienced such growth as when I left what was comfortable to experience something different and new.  

Three of my friends and I gathered in my friend’s apartment to try our hand at four different French tarts and No Mercy Uno. 

It was at college that I heard about CEA CAPA. After spending a summer away from home in Boston and a semester away from college working in Washington, D.C., I was all set to head to France for a spring semester in Grenoble with CEA CAPA. Thanks to their study abroad program, I was able to continue expanding my knowledge and experience of the unfamiliar while living abroad this semester. 

Three of my friends and I gathered in my friend’s apartment to try our hand at four different French tarts and No Mercy Uno. 

I traveled to Italy a few times throughout the semester and fell in love with its culture, food, and architecture! 

During my time in Grenoble, I have grown in my understanding of French and Italian culture, advanced a bit in my French language skills, developed an interest in French history, and learned how to live with people who are very different from me. 

After our plans to pick tulips had been canceled due to an early closure of the tulip field, some CEA CAPA students and I chose plan B and stopped for ice cream. 

My friend and I had navigated Paris, Brussels, and Bruges, and finally, here we were on the last leg of our journey in Luxembourg. 

I must say, spending a couple of days experiencing the architecture, food, music, and even public transportation in Brussels was the highlight of our trip! 

From the small rural town of Springfield, Colorado, to Grenoble, France, and beyond, I have had the great privilege of experiencing more than I thought I ever would. I cherish the knowledge I have gained and hope to continue stretching the limits of my comfort zone in the future.   

Throughout the semester, I met many international students and had the privilege of learning more about their respective countries and cultures; it has been a joy to experience this semester with them! 

Spending time in Europe has been enriching not only for me but also for my family, as they decided to break the bounds of their comfort zones to visit me!