Hello, my name is Olympia Gumede and I went to Waterford Kamhlaba UWC in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The two years I spent in Waterford were by far the most impactful years of my life, I got exposure to a real international community, a beautiful space for growth, and building meaningful relationships. I have never been away from my family so I faced challenges in that sense but I turned them into opportunities to grow my independence and build a home away from home for myself. I loved the fact that Waterford granted its students the platform to be themselves and try new things, go for new adventures, and have fun while prioritizing academic excellence.
I love nature, and Lewis and Clark is surrounded by a lot of nature and they have outdoor actives progrmas that really grabbed my attention. Another factor that made me consider the college was its academic program which has everything that I want to explore. I want to major in Political Science and Economics but I am open to exploring other academic faculties to ensure that I study what is right for me. I love contemporary dance, writing poetry, and doing small hikes. I am looking forward to exploring more hobbies when I get to Lewis and Clark.
Something interesting about me is that early this year I took a 19-day long trek with no trekking experience and enjoyed it even though some days were very challenging. As I am about to begin my journey in Lewis and Clark I look forward to new adventures and more growth as I believe that there is always room for improvement.