Our story begins in 2015, when we were in our senior year of college. It was our final stretch, and we couldn’t wait to graduate and move on with our lives. But right when we thought we were finally through, the sweet taste of freedom fresh on our tongues, we were told of terrifying, dreadful news—we didn’t have enough credits to graduate. Luckily, we were given an amazing opportunity, for if we all took an educational trip around the globe, we could earn the extra credit. We were reluctant to spend our summer wasting away in different countries and learning things we would most likely never use in our lives, but in an effort to save our degrees, we packed our bags and got the first flight out of New York City.
It was our very own Breakfast Club scenario: we were all from different walks of life, and we’d barely ever talked to each other. In fact, the closest interaction the six of us had had during our four years of undergraduate was when we all played a game of cards together at a party in our sophomore year. We knew nothing about each other, and it didn’t help that we were miserable strangers in strange lands, simply waiting for the whole experience to be over. Our first event was to go to the Dragon Boat Festival in China and, according to our professor, “have a wonderful experience that would fill our minds and hearts.” It wasn’t anything spectacular; in fact, we were dreading its arrival. We didn’t think it would be cool, or educational, or fun at all. But then we saw it.
The boats, the people, the colors—something about the sight before our eyes captivated us. Whether it was in the air or the cheers of the people around us, it was an experience we’d never felt before. We hadn’t expected to feel that way, but we did. Suddenly, the rest of the trip didn’t seem so bad to us. And the rest is history. Once we finally earned our diplomas, we joined forces and started CultureVerse, a site for people around the globe to virtually experience the best of this world. We want people to learn about other cultures and experience them, while bringing people together to have fun. Cultural events aren’t something to be upset or reluctant about. Each one is a special treasure waiting to be revealed. So open the gifts, and get ready for a plethora of experiences you’ll never forget.