Their last summer as high-school students, seniors are ready to take on their last year, having brought home unique experiences that will shape and orient them in their future studies. Some seniors were fortunate enough to study or work abroad, experiencing life on their own, a preview to adulthood.

From internships to academic summer programs, seniors Sasha Fels, Adriaan Guerrero and Emily Kardjian spent part of their summer outside of the U.S. Each with their own agenda, they came back enriched, having grown out of their comfort zone, with a new story to share.

Sasha Fels

Found at the City of Lights, senior Sasha Fels studied at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France in July. Getting information from Ms. Rouit, her french teacher, and researching on her own, she selected this program as it offered classes such as french history and the rise of feminism in France. This allowed her to develop her french culture as well as get a feel of life there.

“I did this program to advance my skills in french and get a feel of college in a different country. I think attending college in France is a possibility for me and I wanted to experience it for a couple of weeks to see if I could really see myself doing it,” senior Fels said.

Throughout her two weeks at the program, her flexible schedule gave time for both exploring the city and spending time with friends. With no relatives in the area, Fels lived with a host family that did not speak english, pushing her to become more independent.

“It was my first time with a host family. At first, it was really scary because I don’t really do anything by myself, not even going to the store, so going to a completely different country was terrifying. But after the first day, I started to get the hang of it and after meeting friends in my program I began to feel more comfortable,” senior Fels said.

With no other choice than to speak french, she was able to improve in conversation by talking to her professor, friends and host family. Meeting students from all over the world such as Poland, England and Turkey, she got a feel for the international aspect brought by the program.

“I loved this program so much and I thought it was a super great experience. I learned so much inside and out the classroom. I met people from all around the world and it was really a really eye-opening experience,” senior Fels said.

Adriaan Guerrero

Traveling overseas to Belgium by himself, senior Adriaan Guerrero chose to do an internship at Janssen, a logistics company in Antwerp. Working eight hours a day for four weeks straight, he spent his day at the office making quotations, where he sent customers an estimated cost for the services they requested.

“I also did a lot of invoices and filing which are the basic intern assignments. This was my first real work experience and it allowed me to kind of see what life is like with a full time job,” senior Guerrero said.

Drawn to this internship because of its international aspect, Guerrero first heard of the company through his mother, as she works in the same industry. He sees himself living in Europe post-high school which drove him to this job. Wanting to meet new people and make connections worldwide, Guerrero had the full experience, living and commuting to work on his own.

“Living alone was kind of tough at first since I wasn’t used to having an apartment to myself and also not knowing anyone in the city of Antwerp. But after the first week I was able to settle in and enjoy having my own space,” senior Guerrero said.

During his free time, Guerrero explored the city, discovered all the local specialties and even took the train to Amsterdam, where part of his family resides. He got a taste of the European lifestyle, both personal with life on his own and professional as an intern.

“I learned a lot about the logistics industry but also what it takes to be successful. I’ve realized that one must enjoy what they do to have a career in any industry, not just logistics. On a more personal level, I believe that this internship has prepared me to study in Europe and understand how life will be like alone,” senior Guerrero said.

Emily Kardjian

Spotted in the Argentinian capital, senior Emily Kardjian devoted part of her summer to volunteering for the medical non-profit Fundación Centro de Estudios Infectológicos. She spent two weeks there but continues to help remotely by translating written medical works from Spanish to English.

“I went to multiple events to promote the foundation and went to multiple medical talks as well. Most of my time, however, was spent translating educational material on vaccines and other health topics so that they may be used in the United States in the future,” senior Kardjian said.

With an interest in studying biomedical research, Kardjian got a preview of the medical world. She gained a detailed understanding in immunology and preventative healthcare while also improving her vocabulary and conversation in Spanish. She also had the chance to talk to experts in the field while being close to her family.

“As I’m from Argentina, I loved being in Buenos Aires because I was also able to stay and spend time with my family throughout the experience. Buenos Aires is one of my favorite cities in the world, so spending time there was amazing as it always is,” senior Kardjian said.

Their minds filled with new experiences that shaped who they will become, these Cavaliers are ready to take on senior year with a smile on their faces.