Bryn Athyn College Alumni Magazine Spring/Summer 2018 | Page 25

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Alex spent two weeks with 100 fellow students from 37 different countries in the Czech Republic
in the American Institute on Political and Economic Systems program.
philosophy, political economy, and conflict man-
agement. Excited to participate in this respected
program, Alex flew to Prague and spent two weeks
with 100 fellow students from 37 different coun-
tries. His roommate, Hama, was an Iraqi Kurd with
aspirations to improve the political and economic
environment in his homeland. Alex says, “Hama
showed me the greatest hospitality. It was really
humbling to get to know him.” Alex and Hama be-
came good friends and still keep in touch today.
In all, there were 10 Americans in the program,
and four of those 10 were civilians. One of these four
looked familiar to Alex, and sure enough, it turned
out to be a hockey player that Alex and the BAC
hockey team had faced in the Division III club na-
tional tournament in Alabama in 2015. The oppos-
ing player was from UNC Wilmington, and, when
they realized their previous connection, both young
men were stunned at how small the world can seem.
Continuing the Eastern European tour the fol-
lowing summer, Alex wrapped up his junior year at
Bryn Athyn and made his way to Croatia and Bosnia
for a week. He traveled solo, spending time in one of
Bosnia’s iconic cities, Mostar, and enjoying the Adri-
atic coastline in Split, Croatia.
Again, this was not just a sight-
seeing expedition for Alex, but
“The real voyage of
also a history-rich, self-directed
discovery consists not in
immersion experience in a re-
seeking new landscapes,
gion that deeply interests him.
but in having new eyes.”
While traveling here, Alex col-
— MARCEL PROUST
lected anecdotal background
for his senior paper, which fo-
cused on post-Bosnian-war peace and repatriation
efforts. Of this experience Alex said, “There’s noth-
ing like traveling alone. It really pushes you out of
your comfort zone and in a sense, it’s freeing. Noth-
ing is holding you back. You don’t need to appease
anyone in your decision-making.”
In addition to his time in the Balkans, Alex
spent two weeks in Thessaloniki, Greece at yet an-
other academic conference. He describes this pro-
B RY N AT H Y N A LU M N I M AG A Z I N E
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