Andrew's Post

For me this summer was one of the most eye opening and influential times of my life, mainly because of the experience that I had at a leadership council in Washington and New York. At first, when I received the invitation to go to the Global Young Leaders' Council I didn't know whether it was actually legitimate or a scam designed to take my parents' money. I doubted that I belonged on a leaders' council, on account of my shy and introverted nature. However, after a recommendation by Sarah Olive and assurance of the program, I decided to take the plunge, which I don't do often enough.

Words cannot adequately describe the experience of meeting 350 people my age representing, I believe, 100 different nationalities. The council was divided into groups of 22 or so and in my group alone, there were people from China, Ghana, the UAE, South Africa, the UK, Albania, Moldova, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Bahrain, Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria, Canada, Barbados, Ecuador, and Russia. I also had roomates who were from Kenya, Qatar, and Belgium. The group represented was a combination of different cultures and ideologies united by a common occasion and common language (I don't know what I would have done if not everyone could speak English). Needless to say, there is no better way to understand global issues and universal struggles than to hear first hand accounts and there is no better way to evaluate our plight than to hear it from every angle. Despite these subtle differences, more unites than divides us.

Having spent more than 150 words talking only about GYLC, I should probably talk more about myself. For many of the same reasons I loved GYLC I love to travel. So far I've been to 4 continents, but hope to go to all 7 (except for Antarctica possibly). I have also played several sports, namely soccer, hockey, lacrosse, and cross country, although hockey is the sport that I have played most consistently (9 years). Additionally, I played saxophone for several years in middle school, although I was not particularly good at it. However, these concrete aspects of my history are not those which are within my realm of greatest concern at the moment. Instead, I am preocupied with my choice of college, and eventually career.

Only one aspect of my college preference is pretty much definite right now, which is that I want to leave Kentucky. Its not that I have anything against my home state, but variety never hurts. Apart from my desire to go out of state, the rest of my college career is pretty much undecided. However, I have narrowed down which subjects I genererally excel the most at: mathematics and science. Additionally, although I would go to either a nothern or southern school depending on which programs are offered where, I would prefer to go up North both because I want variety and because I am somewhat of a winter sports lover, hockey of greatest concern. In regard to career choice, however, my preferences are instable. Although at first I thought I would be a good engineer, my experience at GYLC has made me reconsider a job in international relations or one in servitude at the hands of an NGO. In addition, I have a fascination for geography and am pondering whether I can connect that to my livelihood. Somehow I find it difficult to find a career that combines math, science, geography, and my newfound fascination for foreign affairs. Eventually, I know that they will meet. For now, though, the process of finding that point is extremely frustrating.

Anyways, I find skyscapers really fascinating and tend to gravitate toward this website when I get bored (one of my many geeky fascinations): http://www.emporis.com/en/bu/ .