Chand Jiwani- Argentina 2014/Semester at Sea 2015
Race: Brown/Pakistani
Age: 19 and 20
I had the privilege of doing two completely different study abroad opportunities in college and each was different and impactful in their own, special ways.
After taking one semester of Spanish, I decided to have an immersive experience in Argentina doing a one-month Spanish fluency program in the summer of 2013. I did a homestay and had class every day. I’d take a bus and a train with my roommate who I met there, now one of my best friends, and we’d “go to school” for a few hours. After the class, the world was our oyster! We had local Spanish speaking partners who we got to practice our Spanish with, and they would practice their English with us. We’d enjoy the summer nights having local beer and watching people tango in the streets. Although the culture was not my complete cup of tea, I met one of my best friends and the memories I have are not about what I learned in school as much as what I learned outside of it. I realized how self-sufficient and independent I was, how nonverbal communication really helps accomplish anything, and that a smile truly is the same in every language.
My second study abroad adventure was Semester at Sea! And it is exactly how it sounds. You live on a ship, take courses and travel for the whole semester. I learned about this program in high school through an alum who happened to be my sophomore year history teacher. From that moment, I knew I had to do it! To begin sharing stories is an endless abyss of memories that make reliving those moments as jovial as they are heartbreaking knowing that I will never have those experiences again. However, this adventure transformed my outlook on how humans connect with each other in all aspects. Whether it was pierogi hopping in Poland, Belgian waffle tasting in Belgium, castle touring in France, or salsa dancing in Cuba, each country was distinct in what community and connection meant to them. This experience took us to fourteen countries and countless cities around the Atlantic Ocean, and the best part was that when we docked, we did not have class. My time on the ship was equally as valuable to me because my courses aligned with the places that we traveled. I would learn something about an upcoming country, then we would dock and it would be right in front me. That was a true gift being able to apply your knowledge firsthand immediately after learning it. I remember this experience like it was yesterday. My mind and heart were so clear. I was fully engaged without the temptations of checking my social media or even my email. On the ship, internet was shoddy and we only had a limited amount of time to use the computers. This trip was where I met some of the best women and my best friends. They say you don’t ever realize what you have until it’s gone, but this trip, I knew every single moment, interaction, and experience was special. To be able to hold onto each second just one second longer would be a gift beyond words, and I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world… pun intended. The whole semester was one of the greatest life experiences that I never expected. Not only that, but I came back filled with more life experience, worldly knowledge, and humility that one can only receive by stepping out of their comfort zone. No one is ever able to describe their abroad experiences articulately because they were not meant to be spoken, they were meant to be lived and remembered that way. That is the power of studying abroad and the impact that it has on individuals. And for those that have not been given that opportunity, I wish nothing more than the chance to delve further into what makes all of us human and what drives us as individuals.