We are back in the USA now but I'm wishing we were still in the UAE! This was the most educational, fun, and uplifting experience and I can't thank the IWL and the College of St. Benedict enough for making this happen. Not only did I get to travel to a place that not many other Minnesotans have, but my favorite part of this whole experience was meeting people from all over the world and getting to experience and learn about a culture so different from my own. The funny thing is that the more I learned about this different culture, the more I was able to see the similarities.
The conference and the women I met there were so inspiring. It made me proud to be a women and proud to be a leader. I was a leader before I came to the conference but I feel so much more empowered and I realize the importance of that leadership and the importance of promoting leadership, especially among women.
As I said, the best part of this experience for me was networking with women from all around the world. I made friends with motivated and determined women from Abu Dhabi, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the USA, London, and the list goes on and on. I am so grateful to have learned about all of their cultures, ideas, and views on various topics including women in leadership, politics, pop culture, and again this list could go on indefinitely. We all traded email, facebook, and twitter accounts and it still amazes me that now I am in contact with all these amazing women. I think it is just about the coolest thing ever that if I am ever traveling to their region or want to discuss something with them that I will be able to use these connections I have made.
I have to tell you that on this journey I fell in love with the culture, the people, and TRAVELING! I can't wait to explore the world and continue networking with amazing women and promoting women's leadership.
-Marissa
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