When I was a freshman, I came across organizations that conducted service trips for high school students. However excited I was to learn of these opportunities, I did not think it was feasible. I then learned about the Global Engagement program at school and the flame was reignited once learning about the travel component. After much convincing to my parents, I was able to go to Costa Rica for nine day with Rustic Pathways, a high school travel organization.
Those nine days in Costa Rica were transformative. Being so immersed in a new culture was one of the best experience I have ever had. We were exposed to traditional Tico (Costa Rican) food, dance, music, and the Tico way of life. The locals in Costa Rica are all so friendly, no matter where we went; it was habit to say "hola" to everyone you met.
While of course there was a language barrier, with effort, hand motions, and my limited Spanish, it was something that could be easily overcome. Having to consider the different ways of life and culture of the Tico people while having a conversation was something that I was so not used to. In the U.S. we are so accustomed to mindlessly speaking whatever is on our minds.
Some highlights from my experience include the visiting the local stalls, interacting with the locals and school children, and experiencing the welcoming and warm Tico culture first -hand.
Some on the UN Global Goals that are connected to this travel are "Good Health and Wellbeing," "Quality Education," and "Industry, Innovations, and Infrastructure." A lot of our service involved aiding in new infrastructure in Costa Rica as well as interacting with children in schools with a cultural exchange. We were also making sure that spaces were of good quality to support the health and wellbeing of disabled students in school by creating toilet stalls.
Asides from my service trip in Costa Rica, I have been fortunate enough to have been exposed to the many cultures of the world. I am a dual citizen of both the United States and the United Kingdom and I am of Indian heritage. Identifying with these three countries and different cultures has made me hyper-aware of the events around the world throughout my lifetime. The majority of my extended family lives in the UK, so I go there at least every other year for a 6 week period. I am exposed to the many different parts and lifestyles of the country.
Countries I have visited include: