Mountains to the World travel fund recipient Rhys Baker

UNC Asheville Senior Rhys Baker’s life changed when he traveled to Bolivia on a service learning trip. Talking and reading to children in orphanages, and seeing the poverty changed his perspective. He was able to make this otherwise unaffordable trip due to a grant from the Mountains to the World travel fund.

“I use less energy now, and I’m more aware of food and how much I eat,” he explained. “I think it’s critical for students to gain international experience to create the kind of world we need to create. This trip showed me how privileged we are. It also showed me how much we can learn from other cultures, especially when it comes to being happy about who you are.”