The most important part of any journey is returning home. It is through returning that one has the space and time to truly value the experiences had while abroad. Beyond reflecting on the experiences and learning that happened elsewhere, returning also provides a deep appreciation for home, for family, and for life. It is through this process that our professional lives can also flourish. Even the things that seemed negative before can take on a new light: I never appreciate rain so much as when I have returned home from a trip.
"What we have learned from others becomes our own reflection." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
The purpose of this final course is to produce a graduating ePortfolio, presenting a full reflection of our academic, personal, and professional growth. Through the process of making this ePortfolio, I was challenged to synthesize and reflect on my ideas, my learning, my growth, and, most importantly, my challenges. My peers and professional colleagues were imperative to my learning journey and in the production of this final project. In the future, I hope to be able to more fully share the learning that I have had with others so as to further my own learning and the direction of my profession. Even though this journey may be closing, it doesn't mean that my own explorations will end.
I have made a summary below of all of the most important learning that has happened throughout the program.