Studying abroad in another country is like stepping into a
cold shower. It is shocking, uncomfortable, and incredibly different, but it
forces you to adapt. During my year in Chile, I am maturing, learning more than
I ever thought possible in one year, and becoming independent. I don’t know if
I’ve reached adulthood yet, but this year is pushing me a lot closer.
I was first introduced to the idea of study abroad through a
book called The Global Student, which
is a collection of testimonies from former exchange students about how the experience
completely transformed the course of their lives. The idea immediately consumed
me. I am bold, and am constantly searching for ways to take advantage of every
opportunity I am presented with. I was ready to get out of my perfect bubble of
suburbia, to get off the beaten track, and to spend my senior year learning
things that I could never learn in a classroom, or even in the US. I’ve never
been comfortable with sitting back and doing what everyone else is doing. My resolve
was tested time and time again during the process of planning my trip. My friends
doubted that I would follow through with such a drastic decision, and they
failed to support me, but I pushed through on my own. My school counselors said
it would be nearly impossible to handle all the classes I would need to
graduate a year early on top of my already busy schedule, but I stayed cool
under pressure and finished high school in three years with straight As. I also
faced inner challenges. I had to come to terms with the fact that I would be
alone and isolated. Sure people would care about me, but I would be leaving
everyone who truly loves me behind in California. I knew that an abundance of embarrassing
moments awaited me. My confidence would have to be intrinsic instead of being
verified by my achievements, because it was inevitable that there would be many
more failures than successes living in a foreign country with foreign customs
and language. I would have to prepare myself to watch my friends grow closer to
each other and close the gap where I used to be. After the initial excitement
wore off, the magnitude of what I was planning to do really set in, but I never
looked back.
I have
been in Chile now for a little over two months, and I have never been so sure
that I made the right decision about anything before. Obviously there have been
failures, tears, and a never ending supply of embarrassing and hilarious
stories to write in my blog, but I have already been permanently changed for
the better. I’ve learned how to be my own person, and am now comfortable even
when I am outside my comfort zone. I know that I can choose whichever path I
want, and I will be successful even if I have to walk it alone. I have
developed a more well-rounded vision of the world, and also of how the world
views the United States. Absorbing the political and cultural perspectives of
my family and friends here has completely opened my mind to new ways of
thinking and new ideas of what’s acceptable in a society and what isn’t. I have
also become an ambassador to the people here, teaching them more about US
culture and doing my best to break the ugly stereotypes. I know I still have a lot
more learning to do in the eight months of my exchange that remain. By the time
I return to the US, the person I am now will be unrecognizable to me. My dad
once told me that through studying books, a person can only expand their
knowledge in two dimensions. To learn and grow three dimensionally, a person
has only one option—travel.
No comments:
Post a Comment