For many young adults, the path after high school is simple: college. But what happens when a student chooses to take the road less traveled and experience life in new ways, before taking the next step into college? This is exactly what recent TMI graduate JuliaGrace Walker ’17 is learning during her current gap year in Ecuador. From taking the wrong bus and ending up lost in a foreign city to facing the impending moment of finding a spit-roasted guinea pig on her dinner plate, JuliaGrace eloquently describes how her life at TMI prepared her to take this leap of faith and go on this journey. In this Q&A interview, JuliaGrace shares how the lessons she’s learning this year, outside the classroom, are preparing her with broader life experiences and heightening her excitement for attending college next fall.
“I am learning to trust myself, becoming self-reliant in new ways, accepting of my failures, and gaining new patience with myself. I am also learning to try new things and be okay outside my comfort zone.”
Continue reading for a deeper look into the unique opportunities she is experiencing through cultural immersion, overcoming fears, and learning to adapt to any situation.