I am already vastly different to how I was in high school, though I always knew I would study abroad. Back then, I did not think I would embark on a language-learning journey, but learning Spanish has helped me become more understanding, confident and patient. Still, I was scared out of my mind when I arrived at the airport and had to leave my parents and siblings behind. This was the first time I had navigated security, luggage, check-in and everything on my own. I was scared I would do something wrong and felt like everyone was staring at me, just waiting for me to embarrass myself. Luckily, that was not true, and people actually helped me figure out where to go and how to get to my destination. I realized that most of my fears were because of scary stories I told myself, and were not based on reality. The reality, for me, was more liberating than stressful. Now, I can’t think of anything better than having butterflies in my stomach, ready to meet a new place.
I think it is fascinating to see how different perspectives have developed around the same ideas, whether that is related to the natural world, food, clothing or language. My curiosity has led me to study language and culture. However, learning Spanish has been a challenge, as it requires a strong memory of rules and details.
