Returning home with a new global perspective
Here I am, writing from my living room couch in Tempe. I am not writing from my hotel room that looks over the Saharan, and I am not on a boat, passing the Straight of Gibraltar. I think the hardest part about this trip was coming home. While abroad, every day was a new, eye-opening experience. Every day I had the pleasure of meeting new people who transformed my thoughts on what sustainability means. Even though I miss Spain and Morocco greatly, I have my small souvenirs I brought home are a constant reminder of the trip. My favorite souvenir is my Moroccan tea leaves, which will always be a reminder of Moroccan hospitality.
As much as I loved visiting more developed cities, like Madrid and Rabat, some of my best memories are from the more rural areas we visited. One of my favorite days was traveling to a small village in the city of Ouarzazate, Morocco. During the service project, we collaborated with a non-profit organization called The Human Touch. The walk into the village school was very long, and the kids of that village do that walk six times a week, twice a day. We spent the school day with them, doing various arts and learning activities. That day I learned we could excite the kids of the village about pursuing their education, which contributes to economic development.
Another part of the trip I really miss is the bus rides. I usually despise being trapped in a motor-vehicle for hours at a time, but I actually really enjoyed driving city to city. The drive through the Atlas Mountains and Seville were amazingly picturesque. The bus was also a great time to get to know my classmates. As a transfer student, I did not have the best opportunities to meet other students from the school of sustainability. On this trip, I definitely formed some sustainable friendships.
After the program, I did some traveling on my own to multiple countries. From this trip, I realized I am capable of a lot more than I thought. I never would imagine I could explore a city by myself with just a phone and a metro ticket. While I am capable of independent exploration, nothing can compare to traveling with my study abroad group. Yes, the program is over, but my passion for sustainability and traveling has only begun to grow!