By mariacort3s
Hello hello! So this is my last blog! It's been an extraordinary journey being able to share my journey with you all. I hope you have all read it with hopes to study abroad soon. I am finally home and think about my experience nonstop. I haven't given myself the appropriate time to reflect about it all, I think it's because I know it’s a lot of stuff to get through such as information and emotions.
I'm going to be begin my reflection by typing out all my notes. During our courses, I would write my notes by hand so now I'm going to transfer them to my computer to remember what I learned and to have them somewhere where I can easily search for them when needed. I will also continue to be conscious about the conversations I have with people and what I am telling them about Cameroon and my experience in general. Many times people ask me how it was and while I know it is out of kindness and interest, it is mostly used as small talk and I cannot put my experience in a three minute conversation. I'm still trying to figure out what to tell people about my experience to keep the engage and to also transfer some lessons I learned.
Some of those lessons are to critically look at whatever we are learning and if it is biased or not. It is important to allow ourselves to shape our own opinions rather than it be influenced by media or individuals. I ,also, learned the importance of seeing the richness of life in other forms that aren't monetary or materialistic but rather in friendships, family, kindness, and love.
I recommend study abroad to anyone -- whatever location you choose, I promise removing yourself from your comfort zone will always lead to growth. This is an experience that will follow me for my whole life. I am already ready for my next trip abroad. I can't stop talking about the importance of traveling and meeting others, learning languages, connecting with your surroundings.
I did learn that traveling my plane causes the most pollution, but I also learned the beauty of traveling.. Life is so bittersweet. Whatever it is, this experience will never do you wrong. I do feel like an unstable mess at the moment trying to figure out where I stand with what I know and how to use that for positive things and how to be a better citizen of the world, and I've realized for right now I'm taking my knowledge and living up to the standards of my own personal truth that I hope does not hurt others. Each day I'll try to be a better consumer from the clothes and food I buy.
The world doesn’t have to live the way we do in the United States and that is beauty in itself. Globalization, while positive in many aspects, is also cultural imperialism. We should be careful about what cultures are truly being globalized and which ones are being diminished.
While I went to Cameroon to learn development, I learned about life, beauty, friendship, and kindness. Development needs to change so it can look at countries appropriately to how the population lives rather than by Western living standards. There is so much to do in this field for it have equity. Development itself can be a new form of neo-colonialism. There is so much to be on the look out. I learned a thousand lessons and more.
Well, happy holidays to all and happy new years! 2017 was a wild ride and I hope 2018 continues the same as well. I was able to travel this year to Haiti, Portugal, France, Italy, and most importantly Cameroon. Each of these places taught me something and while I wish I could explain it to you, I think you should learn it yourself through your own eyes, your own hands, your own conversations, and your own open mind. Look at everyone as an individual and do not just judge them for the way they live, as my friend Savannah said once and I mentioned in a past blogs, "there are multiple modernities happening at the same moment."
Thank you Cameroon, merci beaucoup, for everything. It’s an "a bientot" not an "au revoir."
Thank you GWU for this opportunity, can't wait to see you in a month!
And thank YOU for reading and following my adventure with study abroad! I hope you do the same soon!