“I’m not ready to go back,” I confess while advising Juana, whose wizened hands masterfully craft the petrified cocoa seeds and emblem made from bullhorn I’ve selected into an artful, organic necklace. Yet, I’m not gloomy about returning. I’ve learned a lot about myself, my identity as a leader and the intersections shared between Dominican and U.S. American culture.
I just want to spend more time encountering daily life.
“I need you,” newfound friend Javi asserts.
“Why do you need me?” I demand.
Javi: “Para cuidarte, amarte y estar a tu lado” — to take care of you, love you and be by your side. His words sound lovely but remarkably familiar. They come directly from music lyrics.
Tinged with sexism, many of my conversations with Dominican males took a — romantic turn. Out of nowhere, men love me, need me and miss me. One suggested that I make him “feel brand new” — straight from a 1973 Stylistics hit song. We listen to merengue and bachata music, traveling to daily excursions on our chartered bus. Sometimes, the lyrics are in English, unmistakable. Hence, I know the source of Javi’s quixotic lines.
Music profoundly impacts Dominican discourse.
Listen. If a branch falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, yes, the branch has fallen; just ask the twigs crunching noisily beneath my boots. A cacophony reaches my ears while nature’s beauty informs my eyes — the forest has its own language. The central mountain range near Bonoa, Dominican Republic speaks a distinct, mellifluous dialect.
Rio Blanco Ecotourism Complex is a 2-hour drive from our hotel in Zona Colonia. A day spent learning about local agricultural issues and the intricacies of coffee production and communing with the environment during free time overwhelms my heart with a sense of privilege, social responsibility and appreciation for the Cordillera Centra.
I know what the stereotypical American looks like. The country of my birth identifies me as African-American. My own country misconstrues my national identity. However, a passage in my passport “requests all whom may be concerned to permit the citizen/national of the United States named herein to pass without delay or hindrance and in case of need to give all lawful aid and protection.”
This is especially contemplative, considering how people of color are treated in the U.S. Traveling abroad, I am no longer a suspicious, hyphenated or sub-American — I become a fully embodied U.S. citizen.
When I moved to California, having grown up on the East Coast, I thought that San Diego was as relaxed as business culture was going to get. I was wrong.
I began my internship at a boutique travel agency in Ecuador about a week ago, and business culture here could not be more different.
During my study abroad here in Chile, I’ve been lucky enough to find a great homestay. Before my departure to Santiago, I thought I had reserved a homestay but later found out that it never actually booked. Soon after, I quickly booked my current situation, and I have found it to be a blessing.
Last month, 16 students from my city planning program and one of our professors had a chance to go to New Orleans for the National Planning Conference (NPC18). Thanks to SDSU (we won part of a Student Success Fee grant) we were lucky to attend this important event in our field! Having a lot of stress before all finals and graduation, we enjoyed the chance to relax under New Orleans sun.
Continue reading “Getting a Taste of Europe Without Leaving the States”
The greatest thing about living in a new place is discovering the many sides to that place. Studying abroad in the United States has not only opened up the beautiful city of San Diego to me, it has also opened up California. There are many customs and events that I have discovered, but the one that I enjoyed the most has to be the how excited students here at San Diego State are about Coachella.
What is Coachella?
I always wondered that from my campus at the University of British Columbia. I got many answers coming to San Diego. Americans generally (not only residents of California) are really excited about this music festival, usually lasting over two weeks, during which they get to see their favorite artists perform, meet new people, party with their friends and bond with total strangers.
I wanted to devote a post to my college life and the campus experience here in Chile.
Let me start by telling you a bit about my campus. Universidad Adolfo Ibañez is a private university, so it’s a bit up-scale when compared to other universities in Chile. Also, there are about 11,500 students, including undergraduate and post-graduates.
This school has two main campuses. One in Viña del Mar, which is on the coast. The campus I am currently enrolled at is Peñalolén in the city of Santiago.
Continue reading “A Look at College Life and the Campus Experience in Chile”
A couple of days ago I was talking with my groupmates about the future. We are supposed to graduate this May and we were discussing our plans. One girl said that she declined a job opportunity from a company in San Diego in order to return to the Bay Area to live closer to her family. She said that she wants family support; she loves adventures and traveling, but she prefers to be more of a homebody.
I was surprised by it, because in our field it is hard to find a good full-time job. However, on the other hand it is understandable. Finding your comfort zone is very important to succeed in life — especially when your relatives support you.
However, I’ve always thought that challenging yourself is the main point to be successful in this life. As a Russian international student, I live thousands of miles from my family, my best friends, my lovely room and my comfy bed. And I do not regret it. I got so much experience and new skills in every aspect of life, that I would not change even a bit of my current life.
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 