One of my favorite parts of our exchange was seeing how you reacted to stories about my travels, not only in Mexico but also in other countries I have visited in the past. I hope this helped you see that the world is large but also deeply connected. The places we learn about in school are filled with real people, real traditions and real stories that you can one day experience for yourselves.
Through this exchange, I also learned something important: you do not need to be in a new country in order to be a traveler. Being a traveler begins with curiosity. It begins with noticing your surroundings and asking questions. It begins with wanting to understand people whose lives may be different from your own. Each of you showed that curiosity every time you wondered about the foods I tried, the holidays people celebrate here, the way transportation works or what daily life is like in a city as large as this one. That curiosity is exactly what you need in order to explore the world, whether you travel far from home in the future or begin by discovering something new in your own neighborhood.
As you think about your future, I want to encourage you to imagine yourselves studying abroad. You can study abroad in high school, during university or even after you graduate from college. There is always time to explore the world through learning. Programs such as the Fulbright U.S. Student Program gives college graduates the opportunity to teach, research or earn a degree in another country. Opportunities like these open doors, build confidence and help you understand the world in ways that textbooks cannot. If you ever dream of traveling, keep programs like those in mind. You may surprise yourself with where you can go.
