For many people, Ohio conjures up stereotypical images of the Midwest–cornfields and cows. For me, it really is the “heart of it all.” I grew up in Toledo and spent the summers swimming in quarries, blowing up stuffed animals in a field near my house (you think I’m kidding), and hanging out in familiar smelling libraries and record stores.

The older I get, however, the more antsy I grow to explore a greater part of the world than the one I know. I’ve traveled to Ireland, portions of Eastern Europe, and Aruba, but the place I’ve learned the most about myself, I’d say, and the most about both beauty and injustice, is Guatemala, where my adopted sister grew up and my family runs a clinic. Since my first trip in eighth grade, I’ve been back five times, and have become both mystified by the alarming lifestyles of the world’s poorest and fascinated by how culturally and socially rich they truly are.

At Northwestern, I’m a biology and science in human culture major, with a minor in global health, and I plan to go to medical school and work in Central or South America someday. I love playing the piano and guitar, trying new foods, road trips, and distance running. This summer, I’ll be romping around Santiago, Chile for eight weeks on what I hope will be an eye-opening and productive journey. While I’ll be taking classes and conducting public health research, I expect to learn the most from the Chilean people, sharing stories and seeing life through their eyes. When I board the plane back to the states, I hope to carry with me, in addition to some exquisite “Lapis lazuli” craftwork, a greater sense of self and expanded worldview.