There is one person in the world whom I have shared the world with. Together we have hiked up to mountain peaks in Africa, volunteered in the orphanages of India and faced language barriers with poise.

The best friend that I am thrilled to call my ultimate travel mate is Lindsay Clark. We met in the first hours of our study abroad program when we were assigned to be the roommates of 2058. From that first meeting we spent little time apart over the next four months. Our matching independent spirits sparked bold travel plans. But it is our commitment to gaining a valuable understanding of other cultures and learning that has brought our ideas into reality. Through travels with Lindsay I have found my inner nomad and my passion for developing a global understanding through the art of travel. We meet each new trip as an opportunity for discovery and opt for the road less traveled.

My favorite global escapade was on the island of Mauritius. We kissed the traditional tourist traps ‘goodbye’ and boarded a bus to Blue Bay. After successfully navigating the public transit system, we wandered down a sandy way, eventually meeting Madame Indira Tinkler, a former Mauritian model turned guest house owner. Little did our less adventuresome cohorts know that in only a few hours we made it from the crowded streets of Port Lois to a private beach along a starfish colony. Lindsay and I spent the next two days tracking local wildlife and getting to know the eccentric occupants of Mme. Tinkler’s home. On the final morning there, Lindsay and sprung out of bed to watch the sunrise over the Indian Ocean with sand underfoot. This sunrise is what people wait in airport inspections and immigration queues for. This was the essence of travel. The image of that sunrise is what inspires us to leave our hesitations and preoccupations at the door, and travel out once more.

Together, Ms. Clark and I have found excitement and adventure in North America, South America, Africa and Asia. Excited discussions and research have generated plans to tackle Europe together soon. Our final frontier is Australia; the last continent we haven’t experienced. It is with high hopes and enthusiasm that STA student travel will recognize our excellent travel partnership and will grant Lindsay and I the once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit the Oz that really exists, Australia. Together.