Completing my BA in French, German and Portuguese, I have developed an interest in global governance and a belief that international co-operation will be one of the defining issues of our century. A love of learning about other cultures has grown into an understanding that much more than language underpins modern human relations. History, identity and power all need to be reckoned with if societies are to confront today’s challenges – the largest of which is climate change. During my time at university, I was fortunate enough to spend several months as an intern in China, where I became interested in better understanding the forces driving international relations at the grassroots level and on the world stage.
I’m perhaps an idealist at heart, as I hope to work towards promoting better, more meaningful exchange between the countries of the world. ‘Travel’ is one avenue by which to achieve this – though I think the emphasis should be on ‘being’ rather than ‘going’ somewhere. I believe that our time abroad should be considered and appreciated, and I’m glad to work with Pure Breaks, who aim to make travel just that, by taking sincere, concrete measures to build sustainability in the industry.
It’s difficult for me not to choose food to answer that question, but it has to be the people. Without immersing yourself somewhere with local people, you can’t really understand a place. And that knowledge is crucial to understanding why the world is the way that it is (and where the best hidden-away restaurants are…). This is also why I’d recommend learning at least some of the local language to anyone seriously interested in experiencing a country. I’ve met some of my best friends while abroad and had a lot of fun navigating markets, mountains and menus with limited lexical skills.
I have unfinished business in Brazil after I was unable to spend more than a month of my year abroad there (no complaints about Vienna, which was a fine alternative). The combination of stunning nature and truly warm, generous people make for an exceptional place. The country’s suffering under the coronavirus pandemic as well as political corruption is a tragedy, and it is often Brazil that reminds me of how instrumental leadership can be in the success – or harming – of a society.
