I did everything right. I took the APs, I studied for my standardized tests, I went to college. And yet, after college, I found myself utterly lost. I had a depressing degree in environmental science and very little hope in the world. I remember being 21 and feeling utterly lost. How could this be? I followed the roadmap adults in my life laid out for me. What was I supposed to do with all these painful, systemic, ecological problems I had just learned about?
I decided to move to another country. I applied to two different teaching programs—one in Thailand and one in Spain. In the end, I chose to move to Spain, enchanted by the flamenco and the access to Europe.
I eagerly packed my bag, said my goodbyes at the airport, and ventured off to the heat of Sevilla, spending a month there before moving to Madrid. I spoke not a word of Spanish and relied heavily on Google Translate. But I felt revitalized by the fresh start that lay before me, whether in the pedestrian-only walkways or the grand plazas buzzing with people.
I did not know that this experience would change the trajectory of my life forever. I fell in love with teaching and education in general. The students I worked with and the places I traveled gave me a new perspective on everything. Suddenly, I felt inspired by the world around me—refreshed and revitalized.
I decided to pursue a master’s degree in education in Spain, where I was able to work at a charter school while designing my own curriculum and learning about different education systems. I moved back to the U.S., inspired to combine my love for environmental science and education and start a farm school. I began working on different farms across the country, until, on a small farm in North Carolina, I injured my knee and required surgery.
Since then, I’ve let go of my farming dreams. I pivoted and worked at a nonprofit focused on helping first gen teens with the college application process. That same feeling of being revitalized and inspired returned when working with these kids. I spent my free time poring over books about college essays and Fiske Guides, all while hosting events like college fairs, FAFSA nights, and college panels for my students. We’d spend our Saturdays going on college tours together, eating rainbow bagels and taking in the schools. My kids nicknamed me “Dad,” and I’d stand proudly among parents asking questions during the tours.
Then the pandemic happened and the world shifted. Yet I knew I could pivot, because I had moved to another country without so much as the language under my belt. I had built up this inner confidence from teaching, learning, and growing in Spain.
Now, I’ve started my own college consulting practice. While I do help students with US applications, my passion lies in international education. Going abroad changed the trajectory of my life. Had I not taken a chance and gone abroad, I probably would have gotten into environmental consulting, working with corporations on ESG measures. I would have never even considered education. I would have went through the motions, on a path that did not feel like my own, and eventually felt stuck.
Instead, I took a chance on a foreign country and new job that I had never studied in undergrad. I met some of my forever humans, I connected deeply with the culture, and I gained the confidence to take on the world. I was no longer a lost girl in her twenties—I felt found.
I want this experience for all of my students: the experience of going to off to school and feeling so seen, heard, and understood that it feels like a second home all along. My goal as a college consultant is so much more than helping kids with a stressful application process. It is about helping them discover the path before them, exploring options and deciding what is the best fit.