Who Am 'EYE'?… Je m'appelle John Anthony Bowllan

(Picture came via SYA website)

My name is John Anthony Bowllan. I completed my sophomore year at Deerfield Academy in Massachussetts this past year and will be traveling overseas to Rennes, France for my junior year! Over a year ago, I never would have thought that I would be a high school student traveling the world. But the opportunity presented itself. During my freshman year at Deerfield, a representative from SYA came to a school meeting to give us something to chew on: "Do you want to experience a school year abroad around the world?" The slideshow described the schools in China, Spain, Italy, and France but really presented a plethora of different aspects of the different cultures primarily with pictures of students having a blast. I was fixed on the presentation for the whole 15 minutes and imagined myself living in France for one whole year completely immersed in the language and culture. But I was not allowed to go because it is a program for juniors and seniors. My sophomore year rolled in and so did the presentation again. It was harder to consider going to France because of what I would be getting myself into but also what I would be leaving behind:
1) Why leave when I am already set up at my school?
2) What happens if I leave my friends?
3) Why not take the opportunity to go abroad when it's presented?
It was a tough decision to make for me even after talking with my advisor, parents, and friends. Originally, I declined the offer after being accepted. But it really did not feel right. Why would I pass up the opportunity to go abroad to become fluent in another language, learn a new culture, and get a new perspective of the world? I accepted the offer and I could not be happier to push my comfort zone. It's an enormous challenge to drop into a new country at first but it will all be worth it!