G’day, mate! My name is Sophia Boughey and I am a senior studying Communicative Sciences and Disorders with a GLI theme of Inequality and Human Rights. My childhood was spent in a cabin in the woods in Red Lodge, MT, where my sister and I spent much of our time playing in the dirt and frolicking in the forest. I was a voracious reader – my first journeys to foreign places were through the pages of Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and Gulliver’s Travels. In fifth grade, my father pinned up a world map in my bedroom and my sister and I stuck thumbtacks on all of the places we wanted to visit. No continent was left untouched. I think that my younger self would be proud of how much of the world I have visited since then.

I spent last spring semester studying abroad in Sydney, Australia. Choosing to study in Australia was a bit of a spontaneous decision – I believe strongly in gut feelings, and this was one of those. So much of my life has been meticulously planned, so I wanted this adventure to be as surprising and unconstrained as possible. Choosing to study abroad was always an easy decision for me. I knew that leaving Montana would be difficult, but that I was prepared for the challenge.

While in Sydney, I took classes that revolved around my global theme of Inequality and Human Rights, including Politics of Sex and Gender, Contextualizing Indigenous Australia, and Cultural and Social Geographies. Though I had no background in geography or planning, Cultural and Social Geographies ended up being my favorite course. We spent a lot of time discussing city planning for various groups of people, such as young people, people with disabilities, single people, and other populations. I became a leader in my classroom and encouraged my classmates to use a global lens to think critically and problem solve. I learned so much about the ins and outs of social planning and plan to implement these practices into my life so that I can create spaces that are inclusive of all people.

I lived in an eight-person co-ed apartment, which came with its own set of gifts and challenges. I met three of my closest friends there – one from Germany, another from the Netherlands, and the other from Australia. We traveled around Sydney and across Australia together, taking in the stunning scenery and enjoying the bountiful kindness of the Australians. I also joined a choir, where I met dozens of friendly college-aged Australians who shared their traditions and customs with me. I’ll never forget my first Tim Tam Slam or footy game.

When my friends or family ask about my favorite memory from Australia, I always tell them about a Ramadan Night Market that I visited with my friends. People from so many different cultures gathered to break their fast, share food, and enjoy each others’ company. It was amazing to see such a strong display of multiculturalism and unity. A close second favorite memory was visiting the Australia Zoo and petting a kangaroo!

My biggest takeaway from my study abroad trip was the necessity of practicing gratitude. Although my travels were sometimes lonely and difficult, I cannot believe how lucky I am to have experienced such an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I grew in love and patience and became more brave than I could have ever imagined. None of this would have been possible without the assistance of the UM community and especially the Franke Global Leadership Initiative. In my three years at UM, I have traveled to three new continents, six new countries, and made countless friends across the globe. With certainty and great enthusiasm, I would encourage anyone and everyone to take part in the Franke Global Leadership Initiative!