Alex traveled solo to Mostar , Bosnia
Alex in Croatia
gram , which focused on nationalism , religion , and violence , as being more hands-off than the one in Prague . He says , “ The seminars were interesting , but more lecture-based . There was a preponderance of graduate students there , and I was one of the few undergrads in attendance . In fact , I knew one of the students from Prague the year before ! My time at this conference was really focused on networking with the 30 other international students and various presenters .” There was plenty to bond over ; on top of the intense seminar content , everybody was enduring 103-degree Mediterranean heat without air conditioning . Alex , of course , talks about it with a smile and recounts his time abroad with palpable gratitude .
Through hard work and diligent effort , and some good help here and there , Alex has managed to travel all over the world . In addition to using
“ Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore .”
— ANDRE GIDE his own savings , Alex was able to partially fund some of his trips through the Cole Foundation . He also received a scholarship from one of the host institutes . Alex has participated in formal academic discourse , informal conversations with students , and good oldfashioned quiet , sometimes awe-struck observation . The insight it has given him , and the nuanced perspectives on international politics and human nature , are invaluable gifts that he refers to regularly when describing the past five years . And he ’ s not stopping there .
Finding yet another route to yet another adventure , Alex will play lacrosse for the Burnside Lacrosse Club in Adelaide , Australia , during the 2018 season . From just days after graduation through October , Alex will be making more friends while getting to know a new city . He also plans to make a trip to Thailand while on that side of the globe .
One sure way to make Alex grin is to ask him about his travels . As he talks , there is frequent mention of respect for the beauty and strength of various people and places . The experience of leaving home to discover new horizons continues to teach Alex about living a vibrant , use-oriented life . He says , “ To travel is to immerse yourself in culture and learn about other places around the world . The conferences create a bonding point , a networking that is lasting . I ’ m getting so much from all these experiences , and I ’ m learning , bit by bit , where and how I can eventually be an impactful part of the whole thing .”
26 | SPRING / SUMMER 2018