"For me, that's what the 'gifted' part of Young, Gifted and Abroad really means. That everyone has something to offer, whether it be to yourself, or to people around you, or the world. You have something to offer, and I believe your experiences are valuable and worth sharing." (Danielle G., Episode 0)
Even though the way Young, Gifted and Abroad came to be was somewhat random, I still feel like it was something that was meant to be. Something I had to do. Long story short, in May I was contemplating applying for a podcasting fellowship, and I would have had to pitch an idea for a podcast as part of the application. I didn't end up applying, but before opting out I spent a couple of days contemplating, If I had my own podcast, what would I want it to be about? What would I want it to say or achieve? And then, on May 3rd, the idea suddenly came to me -- Why don't you try doing a study abroad podcast, Danielle? You know a bunch of people who've done it whom you can ask to participate. Plus, there are no podcasts out there that focus on people of color studying abroad. Travel podcasts geared toward people of color? Of course. Study abroad podcasts? They're out there too. But "Perspectives on Studying Abroad from Past and Present Students of Color?" That sounds like a need you could fill!
“Hello and Welcome! (Intro)" is a chance for you to learn what my intentions are for Young, Gifted and Abroad and what's in it for you.
Before I studied abroad the first time, going to Japan for the summer of 2013, the lady who installed my kinky twists remarked how rare it was for people like "us" to be doing what I was doing. She was right. And I wanted to do something about it! To be honest, my first idea was to start a scholarship fund, but yours truly can barely afford to keep herself alive at the moment, so in the meantime, a podcast will have to do! If I can't afford to fund students' international journeys, I can at least try to help them be as excited and informed as I can. I'm learning this podcasting thing as I go, and one night I was fiddling around trying to teach myself how to edit and mix audio, and I ended up putting this intro episode together. I'm really proud of it, because it's proof that I can do things, and that I'm learning. But more importantly,"Hello and Welcome! (Intro)" is a chance for you to learn what my intentions are for Young, Gifted and Abroad and what's in it for you.
Which is where all my lovely guests come in! I'm so grateful that within a little over a month, I've got a logo (thanks to my longtime friend Morgan Eliz), a website, two full-length episodes recorded, a handful other guests locked in, and still other people who are interested or whom I'm dying to invite. Study abroad, or just traveling in general, is worth it! But you won't merely have to take my word for it. Every week you'll have someone new to tell their story and encourage you to get out there. So use this podcast as a reference, or simply for entertainment. Either way, I think this is going to be really fun, and I hope it brings you some form of inspiration or joy. Hopefully one day you'll be my guest, too!
The first official episode of the podcast launches on Juneteenth (June 19th), 2018! Stay tuned!
Danielle G. is the creator, host, and producer of Young, Gifted and Abroad. You can find her other writings at DeelaSees.com. The music in this episode is by ProleteR.
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