I have been studying at the FLA for only a year, but all the things that I have studied so far have been eye-opening. Within this one year alone, I have come to many new realizations about myself, my home country, and the world. As part of this process I have also come to realize that many of my long-held beliefs are not necessarily true. The coursework, as well as my relationships with the professors, have encouraged me to better understand the society in which I live and how to become a more fair-minded person – to see things from several perspectives, not just from one. I feel that I have changed for the better since entering the FLA. I have learned how to be more independent and how to rely less on others.