Final Essay Concept

In my final travel essay, I want to explore how traveling and exploring new places and cultures can change your priorities. The summer before my senior year, I had the opportunity to travel to South Africa through my school’s Bridge to the World Program. Prior to the trip, I was headset on pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre and spending my 4 years in collage sleeping, breathing, and eating musical theatre. When I came home, my priorities shifted to finding a school with a strong BA in theatre and dance that would give me the opportunity to take classes outside my major and learn more about the nonprofit aspect of theatre. I also knew I wanted/needed the opportunity to travel abroad if not for a semester then at least over the summer. This new knowledge is what led me to the University of Iowa. The main characters in my essay are myself, my roommates Aileen and Hailey, and our tour guide in Johannesburg. I will discuss our travel from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park, our time in the city-center of Johannesburg, and our last day in Cape town. This will all be told in the past tense as I look at our final view of South Africa and reflect on our trip.