^{By Caleb Chapman} 

Ever since she can remember, Texas A&M University junior Alana Lee has been fascinated by her family’s Polish heritage. Whether studying eastern European history, learning some of the language from her grandparents or perfecting her Borscht recipe, Lee’s connection to Poland has always been strong. 

“My grandparents never forget to remind me where my round face, full lips and wide hips really come from,” Lee said. “Visiting Poland has always been a dream that seemed impossible.” 

But not anymore. 

Lee is the most recent recipient of the Globetrotter Grant secondary award, which provides up to $2,000 to adventurous Texas A&M students. The grant supplements an independently planned trip to any country outside the United States. 

Lee will be interning at a family-owned dairy farm in Poland this summer. It’s an experience made possible by AgriLife, Education Abroad and Scholarships and Financial Aid. The program will allow Lee, an animal science major, to gain valuable skills first-hand while connecting her to her family’s past.  

After her internship abroad, Lee plans to extend her stay to “fully absorb the tastes, history and culture” of eastern Europe. The cluster of countries within the region each makes up part of her heritage. Throughout her trek, she plans to dine on traditional Slavic foods, explore the area’s natural beauty and better understand the devastation of World War II from where it happened. 

“Traveling to Europe is quite possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me,” Lee said. “I hope to make it the trip of a lifetime.” 

It’s an experience that she is doing for herself and her father. It’s a trip he has always dreamed of taking, but one that financial hardships have made impossible. 

“This passion that has defined me for so long is credited to him, and I plan to make the most of this experience for this reason,” Lee said. “I plan to fill a notebook with my adventures and gift it to my father as a token of appreciation for everything he has done and the dreams he has sacrificed for me and my family.” 

You can read more about Lee’s winning trip proposal here: https://globetrottergrant.org/grant-winners/ 
 
About the Globetrotter Grant 
The purpose of the Globetrotter Grant is to encourage international understanding through travel. The grant funds are intended to help college students experience landscapes, languages, food and drink, government types, and economic and social policies different from those in the U.S. The Globetrotter Grant is designed for an adventurous individual whose plans are not limited only to study abroad, but self-planned trips outside of a study abroad program or through independent travel of their own. Learn more at https://globetrottergrant.org/.