When I decided to come to Russia for the 2018 World Cup, I came for the soccer and the learning experiences that come with running the world’s preeminent sporting event. When I go home tomorrow and return to my normal life, I take home the knowledge earned from meeting industry professionals who are chasing their dreams of a professional life in sports, something that all of my classmates are striving for.
But these experiences are not the only thing I will take home with me. I will bring home something that cannot have a value placed in it because it is priceless. It is the lifelong bonds and friendships I have made with my classmates here in Russia. These connections have not only enriched my life for the better and opened my eyes to new cultures and experiences but have given me new connections and avenues to achieve my own dreams and goals. I expected to make friends here in Russia but I did not expect to find the human connection that makes life so enjoyable and so fulfilling. Thank you to all of my new friends for helping to make this the trip of a lifetime and I will not soon forget you. I will miss you much and I look forward to seeing where our new found friendships will take us.