If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins

Tuwilika EliasMy name is Tuwilika Elias. I am doing my master’s degree in public affairs at the University of Missouri (Columbia, Missouri State) in the United States of America (USA). I came to the US in March 2021 and I first started off with an English pre-academic programme. I did that for about five months and it ended in August. So, in July was when I started with my master’s degree programme, which is for about two years, and I am scheduled to finish in 2023.As much as I did my undergrad in clinical psychology, I always had a passion for philanthropy work and I couldn’t be more grateful to be part of the #befree movement as well as the One Economy movement; it has been an amazing two-year journey. One in which I was provided with the platform which was working with different people and the community at large. This same platform allowed me to see the social issues the youth are facing and, most importantly, it also provided me with the opportunity to ask myself if philanthropy work is really the path that I want to follow by seeing how it is, and how it looks like to work in that area, and the answer has always been yes. This made me think, how can we bring the private sector, government and non-profit organisations together so they can share resources to mitigate the social issues our society is faced with? This is a big part of why I ended up choosing public affairs.When it comes to applying for studying abroad, it can be a very stressful process and it is always important that you have some sort of a support system. It is also important to do your research to make sure that the country’s university outline aligns with Namibia’s needs. Another thing you have to keep in mind when wanting to study abroad is your visa. Some students’ scholarships pay for their visa but others don’t and if you are self-funded you will definitely have to pay for your visa.Colombia is a college town. It is very inclusive, so when it comes to the challenges I faced it was mostly just the people’s accents and understanding what my lecturers were saying. Another challenge I faced was that everything is based on the American system and that meant that I had to read more, just to be on the same page as the other students.My advice to students who aspire to study in a foreign country is that you should hold on to the reason why you chose your course. The thought of going back to your country to build what other people have started should motivate you.

If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-24

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If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-24

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