Not the Words, but the Drift

My name is Julia and I am absolutely in love with the art of storytelling. Backstory: as a tween I went from a small, strong religious community in the Texas suburbs to an international school in a major French city (where any religious moniker or garb was outlawed). Being dislocated from the comfortable, the known has been my norm. Understandably this has created a desire to make sense of dichotomous and contradictory lifestyles. It also pushed me towards the ‘arts’ as an outlet: film, photography, writing, and more recently, comedy. This has led me to cultivate a strong desire to understand the intricate weavings behind cultural behaviorism. Where do lifestyle choices stem from and why do individuals make these choices? Without looking, I launch into foreign experience with honest eyes and ears. Without asking questions, I tend to tease out heartfelt stories even from strangers. This is why I feel I am a great candidate for this scholarship: I put people at ease and let them tell the story they’ve always wanted to (seriously, I hear a lot of secrets). The field and technical experience would be invaluable for me. I feel this opportunity would help me figure out where in the world I belong.