“Life begins at the end of vour comfort zone.” my counselor once told me. A person never fully understands what they’re capable of until they experience unfamiliar territories, and fearing something is a sign one should try it. I learned this the difficult yet rewarding way when I was given a once in a lifetime onportunity to travel to Esteli, Nicaragua for three weeks on a high school study abroad program sponsored by Global Glimpse.
Leaving for Nicaragua was not easy; I arrived at the airport with teary eyes and the biggest lump in my throat. as a 17 year old, It was my first time traveling to another country without my familv, and was going with people I have never met. Before I could even consider turning back, I was already venturing off to foreign land.
The first day was strange and emotionally difficult; minutes felt like years until we settled in. We hiked several trails with breathtaking scenery, worked like farmers, went cliff-diving into a river, shadowed high school students, visited a famous waterfall, created a service project to encourage citizens to stop littering, listened to various speakers, visited a dump and so much more. The most inspiring activity was spending a day on one dollar, where we ate rice and beans for every meal, showered with a bucket of water, did not use electricity and best of all, stayed with beautiful families in a rural community. After cooking and cleaning in their hut made of metal scraps and playing with their barefoot children on a dirt floor, my family and I grew so attached to each other even though we could not communicate in the same language. Seeing the residents smile even when dealt the worst hand of cards showed me that being hopeful in a struggle will get one far, and being “poor” is a choice. It does not matter how much one has as long as they make the best of it. I also learned, while teaching English to Spanish speakers of different ages, to be patient, persistent, broad-minded, independent, and how to be a leader.
at the time, It was my dream to become a psychiatric nurse, and by bonding easily with all sorts of people in need regardless of our completely different cultures, I had grown one step closer to that goal. Through leaving familiarity to go after my fear of the unknown, I had discovered my abilities and the world outside my own all while having the time of my life. although i began the trip with strangers, i left with a family. tears filled my eyes as i said goodbye to my friends from different corners of the world, knowing i would want to chase that same high for as long as i live. today, nearly 10 years later, I’m doing just that 🙂
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