Summer Scholarship - 2nd Place

Question: If you were to start writing a book about your study abroad experience before it began, what would the title be and why?

Exploration of the Unknown

Since I'm a visually oriented person, I will create a hanging mobile instead of a book. It will represent my experience of studying abroad in Paris. The mobile will signify a dialogue with myself over the journey that lies ahead. I'll choose six objects to hang on it: a bird, train, small charm of Paris, silhouettes of boys and girls, a globe, and an empty picture frame.

The bird will be my own personal metaphor. It'll symbolize bringing color and vibrancy back into my life, having balance, and most of all the exploration of the unknown. It will hang on a spiral wire, embodying my personal progress.

While the rest of the world views the train as a symbol of travel, I think it's more than that. It's a symbol of opportunity. My train will represent the opportunity to see a different side of life with my inexperienced eyes. On the bottom I'll write, "I just spent my last dime admiring the window into a new way of thinking..."

The charm of Paris will say, "Dans une terre inconnue je suis inconnu à me, mais la ville de lumières a éclairé ma vie." Meaning, "In an unknown land I'm a stranger to myself, but the city of lights has enlightened my life." I feel that my experience in France will have a lasting impact on me, helping me to understand my own cultural values by having experienced others.

The boy and girl silhouettes will symbolize my friendships. They are the friends that I'll be leaving behind and the new ones I'll be making. I look forward to the opportunity of seeking out a greater diversity in friends in a city where I won't know anyone.

The globe is a representation of how small the world is. I will write on the bottom, "Leave your stereotypes at home. The world isn't a rigid line of difference." In a world full of stereotypes, I want to look at others without any preconceptions. I would much rather embrace the differences we have, since they are what make each of us unique.

In the center of the mobile will be the empty picture frame to represent perception. On it I will write, "Wherever you seem to go, there you always are." Everything I experience will be unique to me. I'm the deciding factor as to what I choose to come away with. The frame will be the reminder of that.

In between all the charms will be strings of pearls, the pearls of wisdom. They are my pursuit for truth and knowledge. Every time the mobile spins, a different view of the charms will be seen. This is life. Even though we may experience the same thing twice, it's never really the same.

I will hang the mobile in my room as a euphoric memento of my time spent in Paris. It will take me back to the cherished memories of exploring the unknown.

<< Return to previous page