BRYANNA
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
BRYANNA
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
It’s been a while since I’ve been back in the States and I can honestly say I miss everything about the Dominican Republic. The weather, the food, the Mariposa family, the friendships I made, etc. I find myself listening to Bachata music frequently because it makes me feel like I’m back on the island. I also miss utilizing the Spanish that I know as well as learning new words to better my Spanish speaking abilities. Towards the end of the trip I did feel like I was ready to come home, but now that I’m back I wish I’d never left. This trip was my first time being away from Buffalo and my family for more than a couple days. I had to learn how to fend for myself as well as adapt to new situations. I enjoyed every minute of realizing this, and this trip has made me realize that after I graduate it’ll be time for me to leave Buffalo. Life is so much different in other places and I would love to see what other places have in store for me to learn. I may only spend a year or two someplace and decide I want to come back because I miss home too much. It’ll still be good to learn new things and discover new ideas and cultures. I often think of the Mariposa foundation and the girls we met and worked with. They will always have a special place in my heart and I will never forget them. I am still pondering on how I can create something that will help better my community. So many young people are letting generational poverty stop them from being whatever it is they want to. It’s not an option for me to sit back and let this continue to happen, and I promise to do whatever is necessary to minimize this trend. As a future educator this trip has helped me realize that the best educators don’t need much. All you need is an engaging lesson and your students are bound to learn. You have to be good at thinking on your feet and ready for change at any given moment. Many challenges are going to be thrown at you all the time and you have to be ready to solve them. As a person this trip has helped me realize just how blessed I am. I can flush my toilet paper, my refrigerator works all the time, and I have clean water that’s drinkable. With that being said, I’m never going to complain about small material things ever again. The Dominicans didn’t have as much as I do and were still always happy and living. There’s no need for me to be ungrateful about anything, and I’m going to be thankful for everything that’s given to me. For anyone that’s considering studying abroad but is scared for whatever reason, my advice for you is to just do it. See what else is outside of your hometown. There’s so much out there to learn and see. I did it and I can honestly say this was the best experience of my life. You’ll meet new people and discover things that you didn’t know before. Go see what the world has to offer you; I promise you will not regret it.
0 Comments
|
AuthorI am an Elementary Education major with a concentration in Spanish here at Buffalo State College. I love working with kids and hope to one day be an ESL teacher. I love to laugh, dance, and spend time with family. I'm excited to embark on this journey to the Dominican Republic and can't wait to see what's there for me to explore! Archives
February 2017
Categories |