Can you imagine leaving your home, family, friends, country, language and everything you’ve known since you were born to start over in less than 24 hours in a completely different place and with a language that is not yours?
I’m not only imagining, I’m experiencing this. I can say that I have never felt so many emotions as I have in the last two weeks. Everything is a simultaneous contrast, “My dream of doing an exchange program has finally come true, I’m very happy”, but I also think “My God, my exchange is coming, what? I am scared.”
Many people have asked me why I decided to do this and my answer is always about the bigger picture. When I go back to my country, I will be a totally different person but in a good way. Here I’m “alone” so this is a time to get to know myself better, decide things on my own, resolve my problems, and live by myself. That’s why when I go back, I’ll be more mature with all the things that I’ve learned.
The beginning is difficult, like everything in life. I still struggle, I still cry. That’s what makes me normal and that’s what makes me learn. If you want to stretch a shoe, it will hurt your foot at first, but it will gradually get better and you will never stop wearing it.
So I came, even with my fear and my uncertainties. I tried new foods and hated hot tamales, I met people not only from the United States but from other countries as well, I’m walking around Alta without getting lost (kind of) and I’ve learned a lot already. I’m taking one day at a time.
The most important thing is the pride I feel in these small victories and I think everyone should feel that in their lives. Don’t worry, you don’t have to move to another country for that, just think about your day and how you made it work, and celebrate.
