International travel is essential for mental, emotional and physical health. However, this doesn’t just apply to people who work a nine-to-five job Monday through Friday; it also applies to college students. As someone who spent nine months abroad living in Guatemala after graduating high school, I saw a significant change in my overall health.
My experience of taking a gap year had an incredible impact on me in many ways. Some reasons for taking time off school are as stated: personal growth, career opportunities, cultural sensitivity, academic performance and many others. According to an article from the Global Coalition on Aging, travel allows for a change in the brain with new and different experiences with the environments, cultures and language.This behavior is important because it builds brain resilience across a person’s lifespan. I noticed a significant change in my perspective on life and the way I approach situations, or the way I feel about not having my favorite food in my fridge.
Travel is crucial for overall health, especially for students, whose studies can take a toll. I firmly believe that without traveling abroad students will miss out on important opportunities to gain larger perspectives about life and other cultures from around the world. During my travels in Guatemala, I lived in a rural town called Santiago Atitlan about three hours outside of Guatemala City. Many of these children haven’t completed school or had the same opportunities as children here.
Living in Guatemala made me realize how much I took for granted, like hot water, fresh fruit and the safety of walking down the street or taking public transportation. However, all of the things I took for granted while in Guatemala also allowed me to experience a lot of different social and cultural experiences that I would’ve missed out on if I hadn’t taken this trip abroad.
Although I gained many experiences while I was abroad, one of the experiences that impacted me the most was seeing children living and working in a landfill. I never imagined I would witness something like that. The smell of trash hung heavy in the air, and flies buzzed everywhere. Dirty dogs and children, covered from head to toe in dirt, raced through the streets. It was heartbreaking and eye-opening at the same time.
I realized my time there left a mark in ways that others might not easily grasp. Many of these children did not complete school or do not have the same opportunities that children here are given. For example, I watched a deaf child struggling to read in his English class at school. As I watched this child struggle without the teacher’s help, I felt my heart ache. It truly hurt me to see him struggling in a way that I experienced myself when I was younger. I was able to help this child in the same way my teachers and parents helped me. I gave him a lot of scaffolded support with letter sounds and words.
I worked with children who had all types of disabilities including children who could not hear. While many of the laws in Guatemala do not include children with disabilities of any kind, some organizations give these children the opportunity to grow and learn alongside children who are similar to them. While it was difficult to process this information, I felt a sense of urgency to help children in the way that I know how to help them as a teacher.
I understand that not everyone can travel due to expenses or not having a passport for specific reasons. However, traveling to learn from other cultures and people remains invaluable. If I did not take this nine month trip, I would not have gained the experience or knowledge that I have now about the world outside of the United States. While Guatemala is beautiful, it also has its problems as does every other country in the world. All of this is to say that while traveling abroad can be rewarding, there is also a weight that comes with it in terms of processing very difficult things about the lives of people in any country.
Any kind of trip is rewarding in its own way. Goshen College students have been allowed to study abroad for three weeks or a semester in the fall, spring, May or summer. There are even scholarships available for students who would like to travel abroad at some point during their college career here. I think this is a great opportunity and we are lucky to have SST opportunities that give us the chance to see other cultures and people.
Ultimately, trips abroad not only enhance our understanding of the world but encourage us to reassess our perspectives on communities with limited resources. By embracing difficult experiences, we can foster empathy and a deeper appreciation for the diverse realities that shape our global society. I believe that trips abroad open the eyes and minds of people if they allow themselves to change their thoughts about communities with limited resources.
Salena Witmer is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is a sophomore double major in elementary education and TESOL, along with a minor in Spanish. She has been actively involved in LSU, the Marine Biology Club and likes to dance.
