April Hughes

Scholarship Essay

As a small town Southern girl I have appreciated growing up within a mile from

my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. My church is just down the street and next

door to my best friend’s house. In Meldrim, Georgia I have always felt protected and

safe, yet I always wondered what else was out there.

I want to study abroad simply because pictures do not do the world justice. It is

not enough to watch foreign lands, people, and culture. I want to explore them for myself

and grow from the experiences and adventures I encounter. I have always been fascinated

about people, culture, and their histories, which is why I have chosen to major in history

education. History is one of my life’s passions and I could ask for nothing more than to

spend the rest of my life trying to instill this same passion for history into the lives of the

children I teach. For me history is not just a set of dates and names to memorize, it is real

life and therefore full of mystery, scandal, and controversy.

Last summer I had the amazing chance to study abroad in Paris, France. I visited

the tombs of Voltaire, Victory Hugo, and Madame Currie in the Pantheon, viewed the city

from the famous Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, and, of course, met Mona Lisa and

Winged Victory in the Louvre. I also had the opportunity to visit smaller towns in the

French countryside as well as take weekend trips to London and Rome. I toured the

infamous Tower of London and the Roman Colosseum. During this trip I was able to

stand in the presence of something greater than myself. In this sense I was forever

changed. The experience was such an awe-inspiring and humbling one. On television and
in print the spirit of these historical sites cannot be captured. Looking down into the pit of

the Colosseum I could feel the excitement of the crowed, the fear of the fighters, and the

hunger of the beasts down below.

My past trip has increased my passion for history and world culture and I hope to

see even more as I continue my adventure to Greece this summer. I cannot wait to stand

at the foot of the ancient Greece ruins, as well as visit the Greek island where the Apostle

Paul was exiled. During my stay in Athens I will also be able to immerse myself in a

unique and foreign culture, which is sure to provide many interesting experiences in

itself.

As a history teacher, I know that by experiencing the world I will be better able to

provide a more cultured world-view for my students as I teach. I want to be able to instill

in them my thirst for knowledge and passion for history. Through my studies abroad I

hope to gain the experiences needed to make the pictures in their history books come

alive!