Fall 2009 alum, Jan Shi graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy this past spring and instead of going straight to college this fall like most high school graduates, Jan deferred his acceptance to the University of Virginia and has taken the opportunity to spend the year traveling. As the recipient of the Phillips Exeter Academy Perrin Fellowship, a $10,000 fellowship awarded to an Exeter senior that supports a year of independent travel before college, Jan now finds himself preparing for his journey. On September 12th, he will begin his trip by traveling to Southeast Asia where he will stay for roughly nine months. Jan’s exact itinerary is flexible at this point, but he has plans to visit Thailand, Myanmar, Sumatra & Sulawesi (Indonesia), Borneo, and the Philippines. Jan hopes “to wander around the coastal regions and jungles of Southeast Asia to learn about the sea, environment, and other themes from my time at the Island School” and encourages people to contact him at jan.shi@me.com with suggestions or ideas for his trip! Good luck, Jan, and congratulations on this amazing opportunity!