Over the course of this program, I have noticed that I have gotten more comfortable navigating unfamiliar situations. At first, I was worried about communicating with my host family and navigating daily life in a new environment. Learning how to do both of those things made me realize that it was easier than expected. It was fun to have conversations where both my host family and I were learning so much from each other. I realized that I also became more confident navigating the places I traveled. These experiences made me realize that not all unfamiliar situations are difficult or scary.
I would tell my then-self not to overthink too much before starting the trip because most people are very helpful and welcoming. I wish I had known that I would love my host family. I was nervous that it would feel uncomfortable to live in a stranger's house, but they were always going out of their way to make me feel comfortable or have conversations with me. I also wish I knew how close I would become with the other students in the class. I was worried that I didn't know anyone when the class started, but I actually made so many friends over the course of the trip.
Hi Kendall! I feel like I too realized that unfamiliar and new don't necessarily have to equal "scary." And even in situations where it can be stressful and frustrating to navigate an unfamiliar system, I felt like it was easy to find the silver lining in the beautiful places we visited and in the fun times we had as a group. Thanks for sharing <3
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