For my artifact from my study abroad, I have chosen a wonderful interview I conducted in April 2021 with Nikki Koehorst, a student at Windesheim in the Netherlands. In the interview, I learned a significant amount pertaining Dutch culture, both generally and pertaining to my field of study, Kinesiology. This was one of the many activities conducted in this virtual study abroad through the course HONS 490 at Longwood University.

In reflection of my study abroad through Cormier Honors College at Longwood University, I must say, the study was far from what I originally expected. When first beginning my studies at Longwood University, COVID-19 was still months from even appearing, so my expectations to travel internationally to learn of a different culture were still high. Though, following the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, these expectations changed, and eventually I chose to conduct it virtually through an Honors Directed Study. Despite the study abroad being done virtually, I still greatly enjoyed this experience! By speaking and cooperating with my two Dutch teammates in this study, Anouar and Nikki, I was able to learn a significant amount about their culture and gain a new perspective on how cultures may differ in other regions of the world. I was also given the opportunity to simply speak, laugh, relate, and smile with individuals from across the world. I greatly enjoyed this experience, and going forward I will always remember it and the perspective it gave me on the diversity of our amazing planet.