My whole life I have had trouble making friends. High school was a difficult time for me. My high school only had about 100 students, which was good in the sense that I knew everyone who attended. While I could say I was friends with the majority of the high school population, I never found that close-knit group of friends. I've made some new friends so far in college, but hanging out with Holden would allow me to expand that group and hopefully create strong friendships. My social skills have never been exceptional among people my age and I believe that living my daily life around others my age would be advantageous in this department. I hope that if I could attend Holden Village my conversation skills with others my age would improve and help me in other events in my future life. Visiting a place like Holden Village is a unique experience that no other Augustana study abroad program seems to compare to. I can't quite put my finger on it, but Holden seems to be a special place that anyone could learn a lifetime from. If I could participate, I hope that by striving to achieve my goals, I will help others realize their wishes for the trip. Who knows, maybe I'll discover more about myself than I originally intended. If that were to happen, it simply would