When Marley Forest, 16, signed up to spend a month on a service-learning trip to Myanmar, also known as Burma, this summer, she knew close to nothing about the mountainous Southeast Asian country.

She came back from the trip not only having expanded her knowledge of Myanmar, but also having found her life’s purpose.

“I know now that I want to be a positive influence on other people — I know that’s my path,” Marley said. “I’m more confident in myself now and what I believe in.”

This summer, Marley, a Bend High School junior, spent a month trekking and volunteering in Myanmar. The 16-year-old says she wanted to visit the country because she was looking for an adventure where she could be more than just another tourist, and because she’s been interested in Asian culture and Buddhism since a young age.

“I’ve always felt that I wanted to go out and see the world, and find my place in it,” Marley said.

The trip was through Where There Be Dragons, an organization that provides travel and volunteer-abroad opportunities to youth. Marley said the programhelped her understand the country on a much deeper level. Once the initial culture shock wore off, she was dazzled by Myanmar’s rich landscape and culture.

During the month, students in the program stayed at a monastic school, trekked in the mountains, researched issues facing the country by interviewing locals, and stayed with host families. Marley said of everything she did while in Myanmar, the home stays provided the most rewarding and challenging moments of the trip. The language barrier was a daily struggle, but it also forced Marley to come up with more creative ways to express herself.

“It was humbling to have to use hand gestures and emotions to communicate,” Marley said. “It really made me realize how human we all are, even though we don’t all speak the same language. You can make this amazing connection with someone without using words.”

Marley said the trip opened a new door for her. In the future, she plans to go into a career that has to do with Third World development and diplomacy.

When she’s not traveling, Marley is a dedicated student who, on any given day, can be found practicing water polo, singing in the BHS choir, captaining her school’s speech and debate team, leading her school’s Project Interact Club or volunteering at the High Desert Museum. She does it all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Marley’s speech and debate teacher, Pat Welch, says she is a rare student who meets everybody with welcoming arms, and without any sort of stereotypes or preconceived notions. He says her philosophy on learning is the reason she’s such a successful student.

“She’s one of those students who gets that education is a journey — not a destination,” Welch said.

Marley Forest

Bend High School Junior

Activities: speech and debate, water polo, choir.

Favorite Movies: “Across the Universe,” “Titanic.”

Favorite TV Shows: “The Simpsons,” “NCIS,” “The Big Bang Theory.”

Favorite Books: Lord of the Rings trilogy, “The Art of Racing in the Rain.”

Favorite Music: The Beatles, Jack Johnson.