Today’s study ablog post is by Julia Wagner, a junior in the UHP studying abroad on the SIT International Honors Program: Cities of the 21st Century studying urban planning, politics, and culture in Costa Rica, Argentina, India, Senegal, and more!
I remember when I first stepped off the plane in Costa Rica last summer: jet-lagged, starving, and fairly certain that I had made the biggest mistake of my life. In that moment, I began one of the most unpredictably beautiful and terrifyingly exciting experiences on the year-long study abroad adventure of a lifetime to 7 countries on 3 continents (yes, I will still graduate on time–dream big UHPers!)
Halfway through the second half of Semester #3, and I’m starting to feel reflective and mushy gushy. After all, these past several months have treated me so well. Not to say that study abroad is all rainbows, rickshaws, and red wine, because it’s not. I’ve been through some incredibly awkward and outstandingly humbling experiences this year. I’ve eaten some foods that I never though would pass by my lips…llama anyone? I’ve sat through entire classes at the local University in Argentina where I hadn’t the faintest idea what was going on. I’ve made some horrible cultural faux pas…like the time I accidentally crashed an Indian wedding while walking down the street. I’ve managed to butcher the words of countless languages as I stumbled around the world with only a knowledge of English and Spanish. Needless to say, I’ve become quite acquainted with the good old ‘discomfort zone’.
Exiting your comfort zone is to be expected and invited when moving away from home. What I didn’t expect was that I’d find a new piece of home in every country I would visit this year.
During my first week in Costa Rica, I celebrated my 20th birthday without really knowing any of my new classmates. I felt a little blue until my host mother presented me with a kind gift and thoughtful card, though she barely even knew me.
When Thanksgiving rolled around while I was in Argentina with GW Latin America, I barely noticed the strange passing of my favorite holiday because my Brazilian friend went all out to surprise me a vegetarian Thanksgiving feast.
My Indian homestay father would spend hours discussing politics and religion with my roommates and I so that we could better understand the complexities within that country. To this day he still posts eccentric photos and comments on our Facebook walls to check in.
I am currently studying in Dakar, Senegal, where the people value each other’s time more than anything else. They live in a ‘people-centric’ culture, in which acknowledging another’s humanity is the most important thing you can do. I do not share a common language with any of my homestay members; yet as we gather around the large dinner tray to eat with the extended family of about 12 people, each of them is super attentive to my eating habits, and will literally foist food my direction when they see me struggling with their utensils.
This past year has given me many things including humor and humility. Most importantly though, it’s given me family all over the world. So study abroad, dear friends! It’s a great time, and it will make you a complete sap for the little things.
Here is a photo of me and my roomate Allie from University of Wisconsin sitting with our homestay mother (‘Auntie’) in India. She didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak Gujarati or Hindi, so we just communicated with smiles and a lot of miming. She makes the best chai tea of all time, and we all cried when we had to leave.
Such a terrific post, Julia! The comments about life in Senegal are especially interesting. I love the photo of “Auntie” — so endearing. Congratulations on getting so much out of your study abroad experience — you are a role model!
Love the post, Julia. It reminds me of the time I stayed with a family in Ahmedabad many years ago. We lived on dal, rice and chai, and communicated through the six year old son who spoke English and many other languages. I still hear from Avi (the son) 26 years later. He now is a manager in an internet design company!