Olivia Burbee

olivia

Major: International Relations

Hometown: Victoria, BC, Canada

Storytelling Group: Women’s Lives


What most excites you about India and Nepal? 

India and Nepal are both so full of rich, diverse history and I am most excited to experience the culture in a more authentic way. From the food and art to physically walking down the streets of New Delhi and Kathmandu, I am most excited to simply experience Nepal and India for all they have to offer. I think that the tangible culture will be exciting, but more than that I think meeting and getting to know the people is what will make the experiences come alive. 

What is important to you?  

I am driven by the want to be an advocate. For me, intersectional feminism has played a huge motivating role in my life and has become one of my biggest passions. Looking at my position in the world, I feel like there is so much that needs to be done in order to build an equal and equitable climate to live in socially, economically, politically. It’s important for me to know that I’ve done what I can to actively advocate for women worldwide. 

How would you spend your time, if money were no object? 

If I had all the time in the world without any monetary restrictions I automatically picture my retirement. There’s so much I want to do as an adult, almost to the point of overwhelming – but I find myself able to visualize a life where time and money being abundant only in my older age. With that being said, as a grandma, I would live in a little shack on the ocean, reading or knitting, while drinking good coffee.

What do you want to be better at?  

I want to be better at eating a lot of spicy foods because I love it, but my tolerance is not very strong. But on a more serious note, I want to be better at understanding from a less Western bias. I want to be able to listen and hear these stories, and experiences without constantly trying to find a Western comparison in order to comprehend.