Our time in Ecuador is already drawing to a close; I can hardly believe it. Now, I feel almost normal every time I get on the bus. I’ve gotten used to the 8pm dinners, the kiss on the cheek, and the inhuman quantity of soft rolls I consume. The lack of snacks and my paranoia about getting robbed have ceased to bother me. It’s strange how we have adapted to this new life, as if our time in the United States was another world or an old dream. I’ve discovered the remarkable capacity that we have to assimilate, and it’s something I will remember for the rest of my life. I know I will find myself in situations where everything is new and scary, and I will be able to think back to this time and know that I can get through pretty much anything.
People say travel “expands your horizons,” but nobody can ever explain how or why. Well, it’s because everything is in the experience. It’s natural to live one way your whole life and think that it’s the only way to live. When you go abroad and see places like Carlos’s farm, you suddenly realize that the things you learn about in books and TV are real. People live without electricity and iPods, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Similarly, political characters in other countries are going to be different. I was lucky to visit a Social Security hospital, where I learned firsthand how people here receive universal healthcare. We don’t use this system in the US, but seeing it in front of my own eyes, concretely, made me realize that there are so many possibilities. Traveling allows you to see the great variety that exists in the world. Different languages are also a great example of this. I think it was fantastic that everyone got the opportunity to learn Spanish. Learning a new language has made me reevaluate English; now, I am a better speaker and writer in my first language. I also got to enjoy the distinct flavor of Spanish with its fresh perspectives. As frustrating as the subjunctive tense can be, it’s so fascinating that a language can be so subjective and personal. I’ve really learned the power of words.
I think the grand idea here is that traveling has allowed me to reevaluate myself, my customs, and my ideas. I thought going abroad would only change my opinions about Ecuador, but it has also changed my opinions about everything I am already familiar with. For example, I never really noticed my economic status as much as I noticed it here. What I took away from this was the knowledge that I am really, really lucky, and I can be proud of myself for putting my luck to good use by trying to become a global citizen.
It’s strange to think that I’ll be leaving this place that I’ve become so accustomed to. I won’t see my family again, or ride bus 5 to school every morning. I will forget details like the taste of tiramisu ice cream and the leaky ceiling at Amauta. What I hope will stay with me is my new sense of self. The biggest shame would be going home and instantly falling back into my old routine and comfortable frame of mind. This trip shook up my world, turning it inside out and upside-down. It may be uncomfortable, but I realized it’s okay to be upside down once in a while; that’s the only way you’ll see the world from a different perspective.
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| Day one in Quito. We've changed so much since then. |
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