It was the night before the trip that I finally realized the
fact that I actually committed to traveling almost 5,000 miles away from home. Crazy right? My mom was wondering if I was all
packed while I was wondering if I still wanted to go. Standing alone in the
bathroom away from the apprehensive excitement of my family, I stared at the
terrified figure that stared back at me. Nothing can ever prepare you for your
first trip abroad and perhaps that is what made me feel so afraid. The next morning
I woke up refreshed and ready for the journey along with my dragon Stanley
Miguel, a named inspired by one of my mom’s favorite songs. In my carry- on bag
I had all of the items my family gave me to feel comforted in my new home with
the exception of one. After arriving at the airport, running to the “check-in”
kiosk and taking out all of the things that made my bags too heavy- it was time
to say goodbye, at least for now. Next to me my mother instantly started
crying, which of course made me cry as well and finally I was given the final
item to add to my carry-on. Before walking through security my mom told me the
most important words of advice I could use during my time away, “Never allow
anyone to change who you are.” Although I didn’t want to turn away, I started
walking towards my terminal and little did I know how much my sentiments would
change in my semester-long journey abroad.
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| Stanley and I standing in front of a wall sculpture in Colonia, Uruguay |
I decided that every day for me would be an adventure and ever
since my plane broke through the clouds exposing one of the most beautiful
views of Montevideo, Uruguay, I have been having one of the best times of my
life. One of the greatest things about studying abroad is that there is always
something new to explore and just in case you were wondering, almost everything
is worth exploring because there is a good chance you’ll never see it again- or
even better, it may become your new favorite place. Because I have, as we all
do, only a limited amount time to explore this new country, I have learned to
slow down and enjoy my surroundings while also being challenged to soar to new
heights. Perhaps my greatest memory is when I felt myself saying no to climbing
a mountain during a school trip, and deciding to grab hold of the hand that was
reaching out for me to say yes. There has been no better feeling than how I
felt when I made it to the top. It has been times such as this and the time
spent in my day-to-day life that have shaped my own personal experience abroad.
The very first lesson learned when traveling abroad is simple:
no matter how much you think you are prepared to experience a culture based on
the movies you’ve watched or the things you’ve searched, none of these things
will match the experience you are meant to have. What the movies and search
engines don’t show, are the people you meet and the decisions you make along
the way. I have made friends from many parts of the world and we all bond
through not only living in a new place but being immersed into another
language. Together we have made trips, tried new restaurants, attended events
and so much more- all of which are special parts of my personal journey abroad.
As the days go by I’ve realized that every day is not going to be a good day
and that every aspect of Uruguay will not be something that I enjoy; however,
by mixing the negative with the positive my trip is still amazing overall.
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| My international program and I standing on top of a mountain in Piriápolis, Uruguay |
Although I am enjoying my time here there are, of course, a
few things I could do without. Overall the air quality here is not great. With
tons of buses and cars to go around and all of the people smoking cigarettes in
your path, it can be difficult to find fresh air in the most populated city in
Uruguay. Being a student of color has also brought its challenges, as there are
not many people of African descent in Uruguay, only eight percent. People often
look at me as if I do not belong and that is difficult to overcome when I have
no one to experience this with. I also find it interesting that everything in
the city, for the most part, closes on Saturdays at 1 pm- which in my opinion
is the day in which they would receive the most business. However, with all of
the things I could do without, I find ways in which I can overcome them. With
every part of life that knocks you down, there is always a lesson waiting to
pick you back up again. Being abroad allows you to really step back an analyze
who you are and who you would like to be from now on, being away from home and
all of the stresses of your everyday life is a vital part to personal growth.
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| 3 of my American friends and I before the Uruguay VS. Peru Soccer Game |
Being away from the foundation in which you’ve grown allows
you to solidify your personal values because when you are abroad your choice is
the only voice in situations that question who you are the most. While being
abroad has been a time for me to step out of my comfort zone (because that was
basically left at home) it has also been a time in which I have become more
comfortable and proud of who I am. I have been able to experience things here,
such as discrimination, that have allowed me to value everything in my life so
much more and value is not something I could have learned easily without being
removed from my normal surroundings. With one more month to go, I am sure to
collect more memories to hold with me for a lifetime.
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| A picture of me in the Japanese Gardens in Buenos, Aires, Argentina |
I have been in Uruguay for three months and I am happy to
say that I am not the same terrified person I was before I left. When I think
back on all of the memories I have had thus far, good or bad, I can only smile
at their outcome. Not only has my Spanish improved immensely but I’ve had the
chance to experience so many new cultures and walks of life and as a college
student those are some of the best things I could hope to learn. To those who
are traveling abroad with me now, I hope your experiences around the world are
matching mine, and for those of you who are eager to go sometime in the near
future, the advice I can give is this: If you are willing to bring an open mind
to the country of your choice, it will reward you with tons of smiles, lots of
laughter, and memories to remember for a lifetime.
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| Stanley and I in the National Park of Uruguay |
Hasta Luego
mis amigos,
Jasmine
Jasmine Orr
Universidad Catolica del Uruguay
Montevideo, Uruguay
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