Last week the Abroad101 team welcomed Sarah as a new team member! Sarah recently returned from Thailand where she taught English and worked at a study abroad office for 13 months! She writes about her experiences in International Education below. Welcome, Sarah!

Hello fellow Study Abroaders and globe trotting professionals! My name is Sarah Hanley and I am the newest team member here at Abroad101. Originally from Baltimore, I moved to Boston by way of Bangkok, and will be drawing from my international experiences as I work on the University Relations team as a Study Abroad Analyst.

As an undergrad student I was fortunate enough to participate in short-term study abroad trips to India, Laos, and Vietnam. I had never been out of the U.S. until that point, so I made sure to take advantage of every international opportunity. Then my senior year in college, I decided to spend an entire semester in Northern Thailand, and it was nothing short of amazing! So much so, that it answered the question on every young, idealistic graduate’s mind: How will I make the world a better place than when I found it?

For me the answer meant pursuing a career in Study Abroad so I could promote peace through education and intercultural exchange.

So upon graduation, I worked as a Field Recruiter for AFS Intercultural Programs- I basically got paid to share pictures and gush about my semester abroad! I then went on to work in a College Study Abroad Office, and that’s where I first discovered the incredible resource that is Abroad101! My office used Abroad101’s site to collect student evaluations, and as an advising tool.

Yet something about the gentle hills and glittering temples of Chiang Mai still called to me… so I went back! I taught English and worked as a Residential Life Advisor at an International College for 13 months. Highlights of the year included performing the Jackson 5’s “ABC” in front of 500 Thai students, attending a close friend’s Buddhist Monk Ordination Ceremony, cycling over 1,000 km of the Thai Mekong River Valley, and eating my weight in tropical fruit.

Having worked in so many facets of International Education, I’m now thrilled to be working for such an incredible company that brings all of those perspectives together to foster Study Abroad. In so doing we promote global citizenship, which ultimately promotes peace. And that’s how we are making the world a better place than we found it!

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