SUMMER 2022 ALUMNI

Emily Cordova: Canada Outdoor Education & Ecology

As I boarded the plane, I sat down in my window seat and all the memories flashed in my mind evoking immediate nostalgia from the new experiences and friendships I had garnered. When I received the email from SDC that I would be traveling to Canada, I I was overjoyed at the thought that I would get to travel to another country yet a creeping anxiety grew upon me, as as a city kid from Queens that spent all their time in Manhattan, when I looked through my itinerary that described hiking and backpacking. It was not an exactly alluring thought, however I vowed to keep an open mind as much as I could on the trip and observe how changing it could be.

As I jumbled around learning how to set up a tent with one of my group mates that I grew extremely fond of (and continue to keep in touch), with the constant giggles and jokes we made, I had not processed the notion of backpacking until the next morning; right in front of that trail, where I finally wrapped that burdensome 20 pounds on my back, and tightened the straps on my chest and waist setting me up for a routinely ponderous walk the whole journey. We started hiking across slopes, stepping to the right or left to avoid the cliffs, passing over white foaming rivers to reach our first campsite. Throughout the whole trip, the overweight pack sent a pressure down to my ankles to slam against my boots and ache with each forward stride. I was never an active person, making it difficult but at a slow and steady pace, I continued on. I observed how the other people we came across on the trail were instead happily smiling and waving hello to us with their long hiking sticks and relaxed demeanor, rushing onwards. It amazed me how these people were willing to put themselves through such demanding exercise. However, clarity promptly swept me when we reached the first campsite and I realized how much I underestimated the true beauty of the Canadian wilderness. The tall, dark green pine trees on the sides carved themselves to an opening where the extraordinarily grandiose mountains with snow draped down their peak backdropped the vast plot of light-green grass and the sound of the flowing river was near. I raised my head and noticed the resembling cartoon-painted clouds that welcomed a ray of sunshine through them, finalizing it as the ultimate touch on such a heavenly scene. The scenery bewitched me and I stood on that opening simply grasping its beauty entirely. That same night, as the temperature dropped to an iciness in the air, I stepped out of my tent and looked up to see the bright, illuminating stars for the first time in my life. The only “stars” I grew up with were the building lights of New York City, so being able to see those specks of white glimpse here and there was something out of the films for me. My neck hurt from having kept my head at that still position, yet it was worth it as I saw a shooting star for the first time too. A respective “Woah!” followed by my jumping up and down to this typical naturalistic process. The next morning I woke up with a deeper resolution to continue on and witness the stunning nature of Squamish’s wilderness.

I want to thank SDC for allowing me to experience such a contrasting setting to the busy, towering buildings and incessant noise of New York City with the infinite and genuine beauty of British Columbia, Canada. I was able to build upon my personal qualities of open-mindedness, able to foster everlasting friendships, and allow myself to grow as a more independent individual. I also want to thank my mentoring organization, SEO Scholars for helping me apply to SDC and guide me to this lifetime opportunity that I will treasure forever.

Anna Deng: Yucatan, Mexico

It was a bittersweet moment when we arrived at Miami International Airport; being there meant one step closer to my family in Queens but two steps away from my SDC family who were going to return back to their respective states. As I rested at my gate waiting to board the plane, it really hit me. Time flew by so fast. My exploration of the Treasures of the Yucatán has now concluded.

Going into the program, my intentions were to gain perspective of the experiences my immigrant parents had when they came to New York from China. Although my trip will never replicate what my parents had experienced, hardships, pleasures and all, it did help me develop a meaningful sense of gratitude towards them. In the Yucatán, I struggled to adapt primarily because I lacked knowledge in the Spanish language. Luckily I had my group there who graciously helped me translate vocal conversations and written information; however, for my family who came to America, they were left to learn English alone with the added pressures of needing to find a job, fill out paperwork for housing, and navigate their new surroundings. Experiencing a glimpse of the struggle my parents went through as a means of providing me with a better life helped me view my parents for who they really are: two inspiring figures in my life who I owe much gratitude for their selfless sacrifices, courage, and perseverance. As my parents’ translator, I initially resented them for expecting me to translate government documents and banking letters and words on websites; however, needing a translator of my own, it made me realize just how much vulnerability it takes for one to ask for help. With this realization, I no longer view the duty of translation as a burden, but see it as a sign of strength from my parents that I am eager to support them through providing my capabilities.

While gaining a better understanding of those around me, this trip was significant to me because it taught me aspects about myself that I never acknowledged until now. One of the memorable experiences I had on this trip was when we went to Grutas de Calcehtok. As a city girl, I never pictured myself climbing a cave, but here I am retelling the moment of when I did. On that day, I found myself eagerly walking to the caves reminding myself “I am actually going to climb a cave as I did while playing Minecraft.” We ended up moving through tiny crevices, slippery stones, and elevated surfaces which did not faze me. However, when I reached the end and had to climb a rope while strategically placing my feet on the stone to stabilize myself, I lost it. The fear of death hit me in the face as I hung from a rope very much elevated from the jagged floor bed. Since I am writing this, it can be assumed that I got out alive, but no words can describe the feeling of triumph and confidence that rushed through my veins afterwards. Having accomplished climbing a cave successfully, it made me become more confident in myself, and this feat will be a constant reminder that no obstacle is impossible so long as I put my mind to it.

This has been a summer I will never forget. From the spontaneous jam sessions in car rides to beautiful destinations to dance classes that both helped me become more extroverted than before, I am grateful for all the experiences I have been given and will continue to cherish them. More importantly, with this program, I learned how so much harm had been done to erase Mayan culture. It is now up to us to spread as much as we can about Mayan culture now before it begins to be forgotten. I am grateful to have been offered this opportunity to gain more knowledge on Mayan culture through visiting sites, learning the language, and participating in exhilarating activities. I hope generations to come will get to experience what I was graciously offered.

Aminata Suso: Italy Paradiso

From the very start of the trip, it became clear that I underestimated just how much of a culture shock Italy would be especially when it came to the food. Usually, Italy is associated with endless amounts of pasta, pizza, and meat which while true isn’t even scratching the surface of what Italian cuisine was all about. Life on Italian farms was definitely where I faced the most trouble since most of the dishes they had to offer consisted of vegetables which I’ve never been a fan of. For a time I wasn’t eating or drinking which combined with the 100+ degree heat was nothing short of a disaster. The heat made me prone to headaches, not being able to sleep made me short-tempered, and the hunger made it almost impossible for me to function properly.

Participating in activities became a chore which only led to more problems down the line. Eventually, only a few days in I wanted to go home. I didn’t want to stay in Italy if it meant I would be pressured to eat foods I couldn’t keep down, I didn’t want to deal with the heat that made me feel lightheaded whenever I stepped out into the sun, and I especially didn’t want to interact with anyone around me even if all they wanted to do was help. Fair to say I made a lot of decisions that I regret since they took away from the great experience I could have had, but thankfully my group was more than willing to help me enjoy whatever time we had left.

No one held it against me if I didn’t feel up to trying a certain dish and they even took it upon themselves to ask servers if certain dishes had pork in them for me knowing that I was a Muslim who hated interacting with new people. They were understanding, helpful, and incredibly goofy which was more than I could have asked for in a group considering how cold I was to them all at the beginning. With time it became clear that while I may not always like what is served there are ways to ensure that I don’t leave on an empty stomach. For instance, stocking up on snacks was something that held me over during farm visits.

Then there was menu searching because even if I couldn't eat most things on the menu, instead of getting frustrated I could just ask the waiter if there are other options or ask my group members what they’d recommend. Especially since most of the menus wouldn’t be in English so my Spanish-speaking group members were there to come to the rescue. I don’t know if there was a point in my whole starvation dilemma, but now I know for sure that while I can be open-minded I definitely have picky tastes that are way more in control than I first thought. So moving forwards I for sure have new techniques up my sleeve of how to immerse myself in other cultures' food while also keeping myself from having a breakdown.

I’m sure I won't be stepping out of my comfort zone much for a while, but when I do I know that I don’t always have to be comfortable with what is being served to enjoy it. There is always something I can eat no matter how much I may say there isn’t so I have to keep looking and making sure I have lots of water on the way.