by Kelly Nelson, IU Peer Coach, Finance and Real Estate majors, Business Analytics co-major, Cox Exploratory Scholar
Studying in Dubrovnik Croatia, my first lesson came from the founder of Adriatic Luxury Hotels, Camilo Suzo. He was talking about his life, and his successes, and explained to me that there was no one instance that defined his life. There was never a life-changing decision he made, although he had several life-changing moments.
To help me understand the difference, he said, “You can’t trace the steps to the future.” This really stuck to me, as I had been thinking too much and too often as to how I’m going to be successful. I have been waiting for my ah-ha moment where I finally learn the answer, but I finally realized the answer is just saying yes to as many opportunities that are presented to me. Eventually one will lead to a moment that leads me to the next adventure of my life.
My other unforgettable lesson was not from a human… One night while walking down the road between our hotel and the town, we found a public viewing space that overlooked the Adriatic Sea and the walls of Dubrovnik. I could not help but start to think of all the moments that led to my life at that moment, and not only that, but all of the history that led up to that signal point in time. It was very overwhelming, but something about how the waves looked made it all tell me not to worry, and to appreciate the beauty of history. I have never looked at history like I did at that moment. It was a truly incredible feeling that I felt so at peace and comforted by the surrounding beauty that was created centuries ago.
These moments of realization I had, will stay with me forever. I have found that all the little details in life make only small influences, and that hard work, and people determined to succeed will find themselves in those positions. I have learned what it means to truly stop and take in the beauty in the world, even when the ugly gets in the way, and to appreciate the history that the rest of the world has to offer. My takeaway: study abroad, travel, learn to love the world, and don’t stress over the little things.
Interested in studying abroad? Learn more at the IU Office of Overseas Study.