Peer Advisor Highlight

In honor of International Education Week, the Education Abroad Office will be highlighting our wonderful Peer Advisors! 

Our advisors work hard every day to provide up-to-date information on all things travel, work, and study abroad. They inspire us and many others to get out and see the world on a daily basis! 

Stop by the Office for a visit and learn more about all the opportunities available for you! 
Make your appointment here: http://bit.ly/1HbgyL8

Michelle Gonzalez – 2nd year MPP student 

1. How has your international experience influenced your life academically and professionally?
My international experience reinforced my academic and professional goals. I always had an interest in poverty alleviation. I know that term is very broad but I think my goal was to dedicate my professional career to help in the fight to alleviate poverty. My time in Latin America, both as a student and Peace Corps volunteer, helped me realized that for as much progress as we have made, there is still so much work to be done abroad and here in the United States to combat poverty and inequality. I felt that the place where I could possibly make the most impact was through policy, which is what brought me to Michigan to pursue my Master’s in Public policy. 

2. Would you recommend traveling internationally to other U-M students? Explain.
If you have the chance to travel internationally do it! Traveling internationally helped me in so many ways. I experienced a lot of personal growth. I definitely became more independent. It also opened up my eyes to the fact that there is a HUGE world outside of the U.S. I stepped out of my comfort zone and felt like I had such an amazing and unique experience abroad. 

3. Tells us about one place you are dying to visit! Why?
I’m dying to visit Turkey! Turkey is a country that has such an interesting history and I hear that it’s incredibly beautiful. 

4. What is your travel motto? Example: “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” - Lao Tzu

My travel motto I guess would have to be “expected nothing”. I say that because the times that I've traveled with no expectations (in terms of how I thought I wanted my trip to go, or what I wanted to experience when I went there) I've had the most memorable experiences. A lot of times, we can have really high expectations when we travel. You set an itinerary and you expect things to go according to plan and when it doesn't, you’re disappointed. When you have no expectations you open yourself up to so many new and incredible experiences.