Hello! My name is Michelle Heims and I am an international affairs major with a concentration in political science at Florida State University. I was born and raised in Jupiter which is located in South Florida. This summer I am doing a curriculum focussed program with FSU International Programs where I will be traveling to Prague to learn about human rights, social justice, and international affairs. This program also includes excursions in Germany and Poland that fit into the programs themes and curriculum.
I was really drawn to this program because I have always been interested in learning more about human rights and social justice and how these things tie into international affairs and policy. I am also interested in how various levels of government along with international institutions work to provide for communities and deal with human rights and social justice issues. I am interested in how countries ensure that human rights are met both domestically and internationally.
This summer I expect my program to be very educational, eye-opening, and most of all, fun! I expect to learn a lot and develop as a person and scholar because not only will I be learning in unique ways, I will also have independence in a foreign country. The program is structured in a way in which we attend class multiple times during the week but we also have scheduled excursions to learn and observe topics taught about in class. In regards to independence, I expect to gain more independence because even though there is FSU staff nearby to support us, I will be traveling with my friends and partaking in experiences that I’ve never had before and I need to figure things out without the assistance of an adult all the time. I most importantly expect this experience to be fun and memorable, I am so excited to spend time in other countries and see some incredible things. I have only been to Europe once and I was very rushed because I went to France, Switzerland, and Germany in nine days, so I am excited to have more time there. Furthermore, I am also expecting to meet incredible people that I could learn a lot from!
Overall, there isn’t much I am unsure about. Because this is a structured program, I was given tons of information that provides a lot of closure about the experience. With this being said, I do not know exactly how everything will go, and I am prepared to be flexible and adaptable. Events can change our plans and my personal research so I am trying to be open-minded about everything.
I am really looking forward for this experience and I am so excited to learn and travel abroad!
HSF House Blogs 