MEET WBB

I was raised in Maryland until I turned six. On July 7th, 2005, two days after my sixth birthday, my family and I moved onto a boat -- a catamaran. My parents had this dream to sail around the world, so we chased it for five and a half years. I will definitely say that I would not change my upbringing for anything in the world. I think it's the biggest gift my parents have ever given me.

It's hard to describe, but I think it's made me more empathetic. When you come from the United States, some things can be hard to picture. Take Syria; for some people, it feels the same to read about 300 Syrians dying as it is to read about a fictional character dying. But I was in Syria. I remember finding out about when they destroyed the ruins in Aleppo -- I have memories running through the ruins and pretending to be a warrior princess. I remember playing with the local kids outside the bakery. Now, it's gone. It's horrifying to think of where they might be now.

I think being exposed to so many different political beliefs and cultures throughout the world has made me a lot more open-minded, but also a lot more confused. I don't really identify with any culture.

WBB is like a natural extension of my worldwide journey. I remember thinking it was unreal, as if someone took my half-formed dreams of what college should be like and made it a reality. I think that's exactly what education really is: traveling, immersing yourself in other cultures, and learning from the world around you.

#MeetWBB

http://wbb.usc.edu

http://www.wbb.ust.hk

http://www.unibocconi.eu/wbb

My mother inspires me—

Despite losing her mother to cancer when she was fifteen years old, my mom excelled at USC with no support from home. She overcame many obstacles: she graduated from the accounting school while working 24 hours a week, she achieved her dream of having a family, and she sent her sons to university.

I love her, and she's one of the reasons I strive for the best. You always have to remember who came before you. That's very important. My favorite place in the world is Chatsworth, CA because it's home. I'm glad that WBB will take me to amazing places, but there's no place like home. It may be cliché, but it's so real in my life. You represent a legacy and a history, and I hope I can do that for my mom.

#MeetWBB

http://wbb.usc.edu

http://www.wbb.ust.hk

http://www.unibocconi.eu/wbb

Photo Credits: Amber Huang

"I was just dreaming about Hong Kong. And it’s crazy because we’re here now.

  

My family went to mainland China before coming here, so we took the train from Guilin to Hong Kong. We bought our Octopus cards, hopped on the metro, and went to our hotel. I think the best part for me was that I’m very familiar with London after spending many summers there. When I got on the metro, it felt exactly cut and paste like the subway train that they use in London. Everything about it, like the lights in it, the openness inside, and the announcer’s voice are the same too. I turned to my Mom and said, ‘Mom, I’m already home. I feel like I’m home.’

The next day, we’re staying at Tsim Sha Tsui, and I went on a run in the morning along the promenade. I had this big smile on my face just looking out and smelling the air. At home in New York, I lived on the water on an island, so every morning I ran right by the bay. I know that I’m going to smell that salt, it’s going to be low tide, and it’s going to be stinky. Running along the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade - it’s the same smell!

What’s really interesting is that Hong Kong is a brand new place, yet this city makes me feel like I belong. My advice is don’t try and make the new place like home; try and find a home in the new place. "

#MeetWBB | http://wbb.usc.edu | http://www.wbb.ust.hk | http://www.unibocconi.eu/wbb

Photo Credits: Kaela Gallagher