Fan Profile: Anton Hughes
Perhaps the only passion bigger than travel for alumnus Anton Hughes (’13) is his passion for Georgia Southern. Hughes discovered his thirst for travel during his time as an undergraduate when he participated in Georgia Southern study abroad trips for three consecutive summers. He traveled to Costa Rica and Spain before deciding to pursue a double major in international studies and Spanish.
Upon graduation in 2013, Hughes began an internship in Itajuba, Brazil, as an English Monitor at the Centro de Estudos Lingüísticos de Itajubá (CELIL). He helped students practice conversation and listening skills as well as assisted with homework, teaching and classwork.
“My time in Brazil spanned seven months, and I made the most of it,” said Hughes. “I learned Portuguese, experienced a new culture, made new friends, traveled through South America and got to attend a FIFA World Cup match!”
Hughes made sure to keep his True Blue spirits alive throughout his travels by keeping his True Blue towel with him. He shared pictures showcasing his Eagle Pride at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro as well as from Mount Machu Picchu which he climbed.
“When I made it to the top, the view was spectacular,” Hughes said. “I had a bird’s-eye view of the actual Machu Picchu site, the surrounding mountains, the river and train below.”
These days Hughes resides state-side in Atlanta working as a bilingual sales representative for Verizon Wireless. He hasn’t yet found his dream career, but he knows he wants to help others, use his language skills and travel in whatever field he ends up in.
Hughes is truly grateful for his time at Georgia Southern University. He is a huge fan of the Recreation Activity Center (RAC), calling it “one of the true highlights” of the campus. Hughes is very proud of how the University continues to grow, add and update amenities. He also loves the abundance of resources and opportunities available for students, especially the study abroad trips.
“Those experiences were life changing and taught me things I could not have learned in the classroom,” he said. “Being able to experience another lifestyle and immerse yourself within another culture is truly an amazing experience. It can be scary or uncomfortable at times, but the adventure is so worth it.”
To read more about the exciting adventures Hughes had in Brazil and his other travels, visit his blog at antoninbrazil.blogspot.com.
