Name: Taylor Cross
Sport: Women's Soccer
Hometown: Simi Valley, California
Major: Economics
Minors: Computer Science
Study abroad location: Australia (University of Melbourne)

What classes did you take while studying abroad? Which were your favorite?
I took economics of the law, principles of business law, sports education and the media, and Australia now. My favorite was the class about Australia because I did not know much about Australia's history, politics, sports, or culture before coming here, so it allowed me to better understand the country I was staying in. We also discussed the stereotypes often associated with Australia and how most are not accurate representations of Australia which I was really surprised to learn about.

Most interesting/memorable moments from the semester abroad?
One of the most memorable moments occurred on my trip to New Zealand. I took a boat trip around the Milford Sound and it was one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen. One of the most interesting moments while in Australia was when I first saw a kangaroo because the kangaroo was a lot scarier than I had anticipated due to its human-like arms and strange crawling motion.

Why did you decide to study abroad?
I decided to study abroad because I wanted to truly experience another culture. I felt that on a vacation or short trip to a new country, you do not get the full experience of how the locals live and what the community is truly like. I was fortunate enough to live in a residential college that housed university students that were mainly all Australians, so I learned a lot about their lives in Australia and the aspects that are really different to American life. I have also always been interested in Australia, so it was a country I really wanted to explore.

What are your future career plans?
I plan to go to law school right after graduating from Haverford. I am still unsure of what type of lawyer I want to be, but hopefully that becomes clear in the next year.

How did studying abroad help your academic and professional career?
I took a couple law related subjects while abroad which Haverford does not offer. I felt it was a good opportunity to experience the law field before fully committing to law school. These classes helped grow my passion for law and made me excited for the years to come.

What did you do to prepare for the upcoming season while your teammates participated in the non-traditional season?
I played for my university's futsal team. We had weekly games and practices, so it allowed me to keep playing while abroad. I also played soccer for my residential college which provided another outlet to get touches in. To stay in shape, I used my residential college's gym and my university's track to keep up with the lifts and runs that my teammates were doing back at Haverford. I also took advantage of the beautiful parks around my campus for longer runs and participated in a couple races while abroad to add some excitement to my runs.