Dear friends and family,

This year, I’m taking a gap year to explore the world, grow personally, and connect with new cultures before starting the next chapter of my education as a Global Studies major at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2026. I would be deeply grateful for your support in helping me make this dream a reality!

To tell you a bit about how I'll be spending my year…

I’ll begin my journey in France, spending special time with my Dad's side of the family, learning more about my French heritage, and starting to learn the language. I will also travel across Europe to cities I’ve always dreamt of visiting. From Western to Eastern Europe, I want to soak in as much culture and perspective as possible so I have a clearer idea of what I want to study in college. When I started planning this journey, I looked at a map and instantly wrote down the cities I wanted to visit. I will definitely use my list as a guide, but I also hope to discover amazing places I’ve never heard of.

After visiting friends and family during the holidays, I’ll continue on to Australia during the winter months. In Sydney, I’ll be living with a local family as an au pair, which will allow me to experience the country not just as a visitor, but as part of a community. I’m eager to see what it’s like on the other side of the world and to explore the landscapes and lifestyles of Australia and New Zealand.

Finally, I’ll close my gap year in a place that’s deeply personal to me – Hawai’i – where I was born and spent the first years of my life. Returning as I’m about to enter a new era of life feels like a full-circle moment. I want to give back to the community, perhaps through a volunteer internship, and use the time in Honolulu to reflect on my year abroad in a place that feels like home.

Thank you for supporting me on my learning journey! Any amount would mean the world to me.

Much love,

Sasha