Monday, October 16, 2017

Who is Kelsey Megan?

2:30 PM Kelsey Megan

I look like this depending on the level of sunburn I have.

            I am Kelsey from Koeltztown, MO.  A selfie is to the left.  According to this website, the population of Koeltztown was 128 people with a population density of 6 people/mile² in December 2016.  In my opinion, only 30 people lived in the city limits while the remainder of us mostly lived on farms outside the town when I was still living there.  The following picture are of my large front yard, a church sign (because that's all we have in the Bible belt), and the roads near my home.  

Catholics try to have a sense of humor.

The large yard encouraged us children to play outside.

County Road 541

The sunset from county road 541

     I migrated from rural America that had all the space I ever wanted to a place that most Americans think is small but big enough to intimidate a farm girl: Columbia, MO.  It is home to about 108,500 people when classes are not in session with a population density of 1,866 people/mile² in December 2016, according to the same above website.  Within a few months of moving to Columbia, I had adjusted to life in this “big” city.  After three years of pursuing my Bachelor's of Science in Chemistry at Columbia College, my graduation this Spring 2018 is both exciting and daunting.  

I feel prepared and ready to earn my degree and walk across the graduation stage.   I had local internships the past two summers and wanted to intern again between my junior and senior years.  Despite loving my local community, I knew I did not want to stay local and found myself researching opportunities to intern abroad.  Isn’t “Go big or go home” an American philosophy?  I found the most opposite place to Missouri on the map and asked myself “Why not?”  After some research, I chose International Studies Abroad (ISA) to help me find an international internship.  A few months later, I found myself  alone on my first international flight to a land unknown to become a laboratory technician.  This summer internship occurred at no place better than Chemical Solutions Limited (aka Kemsol) in Auckland, New Zealand.  Though my professors had prepared me and challenged me for my future career, it wasn’t until this summer at my internship that I truly understood the career I had chosen and felt so excited to have this career.    This realization and euphoria didn’t come overnight.  Through the accumulation  of little enjoyable moments did I discover I was on the right path.

            Columbia College Travelers is a group of CC students sharing our tips from our study abroad adventures.  Each person this year found him/herself on a different continent.  If you are interested in learning more about my experiences or want to learn more about New Zealand, follow me on Columbia College Travelers or e-mail me at kmperry1@cougars.ccis.edu!

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