Samantha Hargy - George Washington University

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Only one semester left until graduation and it is sure to be an exciting one! I spent last Spring at Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Quito, Ecuador where I took all of my classes in Spanish and explored all that Ecuador has to offer. I hiked four active volcanoes, spent time living with an indigenous Quechua family, and had an amazing week in the Galápagos Islands snorkeling with sharks and seals! This fall I returned back to D.C. for my first semester back at the George Washington University since Fall 2017. The transition was difficult at first as I readjusted to taking classes in english and caught up with friends I hadn’t seen in almost two years. I took an interesting classes, including Human Rights Successes where we studied successful human rights campaigns both big and small, and read 12 different books throughout the course of the semester. The end of my travels was bittersweet, but returning to D.C. has been refreshing for my final year. As a senior, it seems everyone is interested in my plans following graduation. For now I am focusing on the semester ahead, for which I only need two more classes before my degree requirements are met. Most of my time will be spent at my full-time internship with the Organization of American States in the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission. I will be working with the Institutional Strengthening Unit to review and revise drug policies for different Latin American countries. It is a Spanish speaking position and I look forward to using my Spanish skills in a professional setting. This is an amazing opportunity to work for the largest international Latin American organization in the world, and I am excited to begin this position in early January! Thank you so much to MVYouth and all of the Donors for their support during these four years! These opportunities are only possible because of your help!