By interacting with me, these individuals get to learn about a different culture and language, which is a useful and exciting experience for anybody. I’ve certainly benefitted from interacting with people from different cultures throughout my life, so I’m happy to be that foreigner here, especially in the more isolated rural area where I work at the elementary school.
Also, salteños (people from Salto) have enjoyed sharing their culture with someone new; people here have been thrilled to see me drinking mate, using Uruguayan slang, and singing cumbia songs. (I have a long way to go to become truly uruguaya, but I like to think I'm on my way there!) And on my end, I’ve benefitted from getting to know a whole bunch of generous, cool people who have become my coworkers and friends here, not to mention my fellow Fulbright exchange friends. So that’s my advice to you: go experience the beauty that is international exchange! Many of you mentioned in our Skype session that you were unsure about study abroad. If you’re on the fence, look into it and know that there are ways to make it work with your class schedule and budget. And if you decide against travel outside the US, know that you can interact with different cultures within the US, but you have to seek out those experiences. Get to know international students at your high school or college. Visit different ethnic neighborhoods, restaurants, or stores, and try to use your español even though it might feel uncomfortable. Whatever you decide, thanks for following my journey in Uruguay!
Los deseo todo lo mejor. ¡Adiós!
Anika
