In order to make the most out of my study abroad experience in Denmark, I started to NOT be a tourist. A lot of my friends were looking at a tour guide and trying to visit every location listed within the week. I relaxed myself and chose one monument or museum per day, which allowed me to discover many places that I did not expect to see. For example, when I tried to bike to see the Little Mermaid, the popular monument in Copenhagen, I got lost for an hour. Although I was frustrated, I discovered a chocolate store called Peter Beier, explored a poster store, and saw parts of Copenhagen that I did not expect to see. More importantly, being by myself allowed me to become more aware of my actions and make wise decisions such as always checking to see if my phone and purse are in the right places.
Furthermore, I learned to say no. While my friends may be going to restaurants every day, I chose to pack my own lunch sometimes and politely deny their offer when they ask me to join. I did not feel feel rude or guilty about my refusal, and that is a huge growth that I have noticed because I would have accepted their offer, and I had to budget my money since I will be traveling during the weekends. The GLI retreat definitely helped me become a better global leader because it helped me lead myself into growth, which I expected from being abroad. Now, I hope to share more experiences that show my growth.
The Carolina-Duke Global Leadership Institute 