Anna
Art Education
Undergraduate |
Anna
Art Education
Undergraduate |
So it's been about a month since we arrived back home in Buffalo, NY. (I know, I know, I'm late to the game on this). When I first got back to the United States, it almost didn't feel real. I felt as though I were stepping out of a movie theater, into a subliminal state of mind where you haven't quite processed anything yet. It felt like the whole trip was a move, but it also felt like returning home was a movie as well. It was shocking to return to the wide streets, lit up with lamps. One thing I was struck by was the vast amount of space that exists between everyones homes in the suburbs. After spending so much time in the beautiful but tight streets of the Dominican Republic, the incessant need for privacy and useless land was a little jarring. The cold was brutal, and my asthma immediately kicked in as I stepped out of the airport. I miss the warm and humid air of the Dominican. I miss the familiarity and welcoming attitude of the community. I especially miss the food haha.
As I'm writing this, I have finally gotten out of my cast and have been using a wrist brace, which is really nice! (My spray tan was still on underneath the cast). Some of the things that have really stuck with me from this trip is a newfound love of communication, a strong confidence of my abilities and my strength to persevere, and a love of laughter. Communication wise, I loved the ability to talk to and learn about all of the people I spoke with in the Dominican Republic. It has started a new obsession with language learning, and I am currently planning on mastering in Linguistics after college. My confidence has greatly improved. After breaking my wrist and finding the strength to keep smiling and laughing, I realized that I really am able to carry a lot while still maintaining a positive attitude and genuinely having a good time. I have also grown in my confidence to speak up and share my opinions and my thoughts without being afraid of the consequences. Laughter is something that, while common in the Dominican, is something to be earned. You are more likely to get a smile or a huff rather than a full belly laugh. However, through my continued practice of subpar Spanish and my silliness, I was able to score a genuine laugh out of many of the people that I met. I am extremely excited to continue that in the United States and in my classrooms. Overall, this trip has genuinely changed me and my views on myself, the world, and the people around me. I am so glad I got the opportunity to go on this trip, and even glad that I broke my wrist as it has inspired so many great stories from it. I will continue to travel and learn, and I hope to keep having wonderful experiences such as this trip. Signing off, Anna Stang
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Author21 years young! ArchivesCategories |