Yes, my love for traveling dates back to these days, but my real appreciation for it dates back to only a few years ago. I’m not sure exactly when it struck me- whether it was while cruising the waves of Hermosa’s coast atop a surfboard, or while lost in a 45 minute conversation with a shop owner on the cobbled streets of New Orleans, or while learning the ropes of mix-mastering behind a DJ table in the skyscrapers of Chicago. But somewhere along these coordinates, I realized that within me lays a deep admiration for the colorful dynamics that make up the lifestyles in the spectrum of cities that I’ve traversed. Each time I travel, my mind is opened to the perspectives and the ways of others. It provides endless opportunity for learning, nurturing a true and humble understanding of the diversity of culture.
It is these dimensions that Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. was talking about. It is these dimensions that I long to keep stretching, thus why I chose to participate in study abroad in Costa Rica.
Thinking back on my previous travels, I realized that I need to expand my territory. Put a new pin on the map, in a way. While I have seen the nooks and crannies of the United States, I want to push further, reach higher. Preparing for Costa Rica has been an intense journey already, and we haven't even left DFW. So much learning is necessary before you are able to tackle such meticulous projects in a brand new culture, and it's exciting to wonder how all of this new knowledge is going to be put to use. I think of departure, and I get a sort of itch... a twisting, eager tingle that navigates its way through my gut and chest. Our team of students is well-prepared to add a new stamp to our passports, and yet I know there is so much we will experience that we cannot be debriefed on.
And that's the best part.
Everything is in line: the deet-free bug spray, moisture-wicking underwear and t-shirts (nobody wants to be sopping wet with humidity all day), rain protection, thorough understanding of economic conservation efforts in Costa Rica, a few crucial Spanish phrases, 26 copies of our passports per Dr. J's request (okay, it's not really 26, but can you really be too prepared?)... yes to all of that. The boxes are checked. It's packed away. So now we wait. Wait for the day we leave, wait for our itinerary to really be in effect. And it is only then that we can finally say we are becoming world travelers.
Note: Written pre-departure