Last week, I had the immense privilege of being able to attend the upcoming study abroad students’ pre-departure orientation. While struggling to wrap my head around the fact that I was in their same situation this time last year, I felt equally as excited knowing that so many students would soon, too, be embarking on their own adventures. When reflecting on how transformative my time away was, I have no doubt that the experiences my peers will soon undergo will be paramount in their growth as students, future leaders, and human beings. From this year’s Baltimore Urban Studies cohort eager for the excitement of the East Coast, to several students anticipating sun-filled weeks in Spain, it’s safe to say that the future of TLU Study Abroad is extremely bright.

Before, during, and after my semester away, I very often found myself reflecting on the sentiments of both my geographical luck and the deep importance of pushing past familiarity. In short, we have so much to learn from one another, and there’s a great deal of value in the growth that comes with putting yourself in new, and sometimes uncomfortable, situations to meet new people and hear their stories. The real adventure that comes with travel is not getting on a plane or exploring archaeological sites, but mentally, physically, and emotionally navigating the twists and turns that come with being away from the life and places you’re accustomed to. Margie Coyle, a junior political science major and former Army flight instructor and helicopter mechanic, has exemplified this truth beautifully over the course of her life. With a thrilling career, an associate degree, and certifications in Homeland Security and emergency management under her belt, one might think she’s “done it all.” Yet, with aspirations to have a career in emergency management, an exciting chapter in her professional journey is only just beginning. No stranger to daring ventures in life or work, it would only be fitting for study abroad to be a part of her TLU experience. 

This summer, Margie will be spending eight weeks in Germany, where she will not only catch up with former military friends, but take part in a program centered around public policy and administration in the European Union. In doing so, she anticipates gaining new skills and insight into what other countries are doing right, and how both can be translated to the emergency management work she hopes to do at the local level. While navigating online coursework after completing her active-duty service and prior to attending TLU, her husband’s continued career in the military meant moving around a lot– about every two to four years. However, this was not the beginning of the prominence of travel in Margie’s life. A Florida native, traveling first within the country, especially to nearby states like Georgia, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, was a vital part of her upbringing. Her first opportunity to leave the U.S. first presented itself when she was eight years old and was the result of a close friend’s invitation to join their family trip to Mexico. Following that time, excursions to new places were made possible by her career with the Army, with assignments in Colorado and Washington followed by deployments to Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Japan, and South Korea.

South Korea remains a favorite destination for Margie, where she was fortunate enough to visit twice; once as a soldier, and again as a local during her husband’s deployment there. Between beautiful and lasting friendships, exploring the country’s diverse landscape, and enjoying fresh produce from street markets, her times there remain close to her heart. What truly astounded me from our conversation, beyond the fact that she’s lived a countless number of lives, were the support and strong family ties that were consistent across such major moves and changes throughout her early career. Even in the case of her first deployment, her parents followed her in order to assist Margie in navigating life as a new mom. Later on, her four children would add a new layer of joy and opportunity during the second trip to South Korea, further allowing her to relish in home life while viewing the experience as a local through a new, unique lens. To this day, her fourteen-year-old daughter reflects fondly on this period of time, and this country is one that all of her family members look forward to revisiting in the future.

Although other places like Ireland and Spain are also on the Coyle family’s travel horizons, Germany will be the site of the next adventure for Margie to embark on. Her interest in partaking in study abroad initially stemmed from her desire to find a relevant internship, with an international one offering the ability to highlight the contrast between domestic and foreign practices in her field of interest. However, in order to graduate on her desired timeline, both Dr. O’Brochta and Charla Bailey directed her toward an academic program for the summer that would best fit her needs. Her coursework, which will frame EU policies in U.S. relations, will additionally provide opportunities to visit Spain, Belgium, and Switzerland to allow for as well-rounded of a learning experience as possible. She also anticipates some independent travel to Romania, France, and Liechtenstein, which she revealed can be rented out for a mere $70,000 a night (yes, the whole country). Having gotten a head start on these plans last October, she feels more than prepared for her upcoming departure. Margie’s husband, mother-in-law, children, and other loved ones share in this excitement for all that awaits her. 

Both Margie’s career path and travel experiences separate her from the average study abroad student, as, anecdotally, it is often one’s first time leaving the country when they do an international program as an undergraduate. Additionally, having collected so many unique trips over the course of her journey, she’s identified many ways in which each provided her with important lessons, qualities of character, and outlooks on life. The experience of driving in other countries has not only made driving around Texas less daunting, but helped her to grow in patience. Having described herself as, once, a very shy person, being pushed to speak with strangers and seek their help has done a lot for her confidence and communication skills:

“I don’t have a problem talking to strangers, especially when you’re in another country and you have to figure out how to navigate that country and don’t speak the home language. You have to figure out how to do translations, pointy-talky things. I learned that in Afghanistan. Like, hey, just point and talk, you know? That was useful in Korea, even though a lot of people do speak English. That, and then just the different modes of travel, either by subway, train, bus, taxi… it takes a lot to do any of that, and then just to navigate different places and try to find your way around. I am a country girl; I was not a big city person, so I had to learn to adapt really quickly.”

As true in travel as it is in life, Margie additionally emphasized that “you can’t have somebody holding your hand all the time; you’ve got to figure it out.” 

Like I mentioned earlier, one might look at Margie and think she’s already done it all– in addition to soon earning her bachelor’s, she’s had a fascinating career, experienced life in different continents, and is already accustomed to the remarkable journey of starting a family. She knows the ins and outs of travel and can speak on both its importance and the ways it’s changed her for the better. What else is there to learn or to gain? To her, plenty. She wants to continue to meet new people, and to gain meaningful knowledge and insight from the stories, cultures, and traditions of others, while similarly offering her own to them. Having recognized the importance of speaking with strangers, especially with those who are different from you, she finds she’s always learning and growing by simply taking the time to hear from those outside of her circle. Even recently, she dropped into a conversation with an eighty-three-year-old Vietnam veteran while waiting in line at a pharmacy at Randolph Air Force Base. This led to a nearly hour-long conversation about their lives, with Margie finding his story incredibly interesting and impactful. Situations like these are not rare in her daily life. This idea of lifelong learning, constant internal expansion, and never-ending exploration is captured in one of my favorite quotes by the late Anthony Bourdain, chef and writer. It rang in my head a few times throughout my conversation with Margie, as her perspectives aligned with it well:

“It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn. Maybe that’s enlightenment enough – to know that there is no final resting place of the mind, no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom, at least for me, means realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go.”

Another point worth noting is the fact that this excursion is not a formal obligation or military assignment. Her decision to take this step was made on her own terms, and how she chooses to spend her eight weeks abroad will be dictated solely by her. This has not only a sense of excitement and empowerment attached to it, but a great deal of freedom. It was her own hard work that paved this path, and the only responsibilities attached to this trip are learning, growing, and, above all, simply being. Our interview concluded with a concise, but profound truth from Margie:

“People shouldn’t limit themselves just to the classroom here. They should set goals and explore options outside of their small community, because the world has a lot to offer.”

I’m very grateful to Margie for sharing her story with me, and for all that I was able to learn about life and travel through both my own experiences and the experiences of others this year. There is no doubt that Margie will make a profound impact in all that she aspires to do in the future. A leader in every way, her career, life, and travel experiences will further inspire others in the classroom, workplace, and all of the new, amazing places that she has yet to see. I wish her the very best in Germany and can’t wait to see how this opportunity lends itself to even more self-discovery and meaningful journeys both internally and across the globe.