Week One: My Favorite Places

I have had the amazing opportunity to visit some wonderful places in this world and have had so many favorites that it is so hard to choose. However, when thinking about the places that were my most favorite, I couldn't help but think about the places that I have learned the most and grown the most in. I have learned so much in Norman during my undergraduate years, however, I chose two different locations as my favorite places.

First, is Okarche, Oklahoma. Okarche is my hometown, boasting a population of just over 1,000 people. I have lived in Okarche my entire life before moving to Norman and most of my family lives and works here. The town may be small, but it is mighty. I am so proud to say I am from this beautiful place and I am grateful for the people there every day.

Grain Elevator in Okarche, Oklahoma: Wikimedia Commons

Another place that I have come to love dearly is Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I did a short study abroad in the summer of 2014 and I learned more about people and life in my three weeks abroad than I ever thought I would. This city was so wonderful with it's vibrant diversity, culture, and feelings of belonging that I had to rank it in my favorite places I have ever been to. I met a woman in a cafe near the outskirts of the city who asked me a lot about my life in the US and who taught me so much about the human experience. She taught me that no matter where you are in the world, people are people and they have lives just like everyone else. It was so refreshing to see how many things we had in common although our lives were so vastly different. Amsterdam and the people there taught me so much and that is why it easily ranks in my most favorite places. 

Canals in Amsterdam: Wikimedia Commons