mgotthardt
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On These 80 Days
Seven countries and 80 days later, I begin my journey home tomorrow. I could not have imagined how this gap year has turned out. While sitting in a cafe in Paris with my pal Rachel, I wrote in my journal “I didn’t realize this year could or would be this good.” Granted, those were ridiculously…
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On Dhaka
“And from there, I’ll be headed to Bangladesh for the month of April.” That’s right about when people start really paying attention to my trip plans. “Bangladesh?” “Yeah, I’ve got family living there that I’ll get to visit!” “In Bangladesh?” Geographically, my trip doesn’t make a lot of sense. From the U.K. to Spain to…
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On (Not) Achieving
Shoulds and expectations have been my armor throughout my entire life. Determining what my expectations are in any given context– what I should do– is a skill I am fairly adept at, whether in a professional, academic, or social setting. Knowing what others expect from me has historically given me purpose and guided how I…
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On Scotland
Scotland greeted me with lots of rain, clouds, and wind– a proper U.K. welcome, it seems. Here is a brief recap of my two weeks in this beautiful country! In Glasgow, I got my first taste of what it’s like to explore a city alone– the wonderfully independent and freeing feeling it is to be…
Madison Gotthardt 