Introducing Mia, Abroad101 Global Ambassador in Sydney, Spring 2012!

 

Abroad101 is pleased to introduce Mia Marino, Abroad101 Global Ambassador in Sydney Australia! While down under, she’ll be continuing her studies for her dual major in Communications and International Studies at the University of New South Wales. We are looking forward to hearing her stories about the outback and other adventures!

 

Mia grew up in California and is currently a junior at the University of Michigan.  After graduating in 2013, she hopes to work for an internationaal advertising giant  “My dream job is to be the head of art direction at an advertising agency… maybe it’s because I like the character Don Draper on Mad Men.”

Her other hobbies and interests include music, nature, photography, action/crime films, How I Met Your Mother and pretzel m&ms.

 

She suffers from wonderlust like many of us in the Study Abroad field and has been lucky enough to travel all over South East Asia, Europe, South America, the Caribbean and the US. Her favorite adventures have included riding elephants in Thailand, glacier trekking in Argentina and staying in a cave hotel in Cappadocia Turkey.

“My most meaningful travel memory takes me to an event that beyond doubt changed me for the better. While in Northern Thailand on a photojournalism trip my group did a lot of philanthropic work with Karen refugees from Burma. Visiting the Mayawaddy refugee camp on the Thai, Burmese border and speaking with Karen refugees who had fled for their lives impacted me in an unexpected manner. These people that I photographed and spoke with were among the happiest I have met in my life. Although they did not have many material possessions or prospects for the future they did have their family and a few friends. Their resilience in the face of political and social injustice made me reevaluate what is truly important in my life. Now when a worry or problem begins to bother me I let the smiles and happiness of my Karen friends resonate in my mind. Soon enough I remember that what I face is petty in comparison to serious problems faced by others around the world.”

Why does she think Abroad101 is awesome?

“After deciding to spend a semester abroad and setting my sights on Sydney Australia I was immediately drawn to Abroad101. The website allowed for simple and free research about my studying abroad and Australia. When I emailed the website with a question about their company and a suggestion about another travel site that I enjoy I was blown away to get a response from one of the company’s owners. This personalized service is what sets Abroad101 apart from other study abroad aids.”

“I hope you all get to know Sydney, Australia and me better throughout my semester as a Global Ambassador for Abroad101!”

Read about our other Global Ambassadors:

 

 

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