Hello, all!  Welcome to my blog.  My name is Jocelyn George and I am a rising junior at the University of Pittsburgh.  Although I am majoring in finance and minoring in chemistry and economics, I am also pursuing a pre-medical track (weird, I know) with the intention of enrolling in a MD/MBA program after undergrad.  My goal is to practice as a physician for some time, but eventually I would like to also work on insurance and healthcare reform.  As I get older, I realize more and more that healthcare is misunderstood and flawed in the United States, and I would like to have a part in changing it.

To delve into a little bit of my backstory, I was born and raised in Bucks County, PA and, thus, have an wavering allegiance to Philadelphia sports teams (sorry, Pittsburgh).  I have two older sisters and a younger brother, so I always have enough people to play board games with when I’m home!  In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, running, and trying new cuisines.

Even before I reached high school, I knew that I wanted to study abroad while I was in college.  One of my older sisters spent a semester in Florence, and when she came back it was obvious how much she learned and grew from her experiences abroad.  From that point onward, I knew that I wanted to incorporate study abroad into my college experience in order to gain a deeper perspective of other cultures and lifestyles.

Although I would like to go abroad for longer, I chose a summer program because it still allowed me to finish my pre-medical classes in time.  Initially, I was torn between the London and Sydney GBIs, but I ultimately decided on the GBI Sydney program because it fulfilled required courses for both my CBA core and Arts & Sciences requirements.

Besides going to India to visit my family, this trip will be my first experience abroad and I could not be more excited.   I assume there will be some culture shock (and a bit of jet lag) when I arrive, but my goal is to be as open to trying new things as possible.  Right now, I do not have too many fears, but I am a slightly overwhelmed with how to pack.  While abroad, I am planning to volunteer at the local Ronald McDonald House and potentially volunteer in other organizations around Sydney.  It would be fascinating to have the opportunity to compare the healthcare system in Sydney with the United States.  Other than this, I cannot wait to try the food Down Under.  Apparently Sydney is known for its seafood, coffee (particularly the flat white), and Asian-influenced cuisine – three of my favorite things!

Later this month, I will detail my first days in Australia, but as for now I am going to get back to packing.  T-minus 17 days until I leave North America and embark on an amazing journey.  Stay tuned!