I grew up in South Texas, and spent my entire childhood and adolescence surrounded by people that looked like me and believed in the same God as me. It was this shared origin and belief system that made me quick to judge those who did not look like me or did not have the same religion. However, I have spent the better part of the last 100 days as an outlier, a foreigner among a different population. In Spain and the other countries I have visited on this journey, I have experienced people's cultures who are not American. I have a better understanding of people because of this cultural exchange and can see the beauty in everyone, regardless of where they come from.
Thirdly, this journey has taught me the importance of giving back when you can. No matter how small your act of giving may be, it can have a wonderful impact on the world. I have volunteered locally in Granada and helped feed the homeless. In Morocco, I visited a women's center and contributed to their cause of improving the lives of women in their country. By seeking out these experiences, I believe I made a difference in the lives of those I helped, however small and relative my actions may seem in the context of the whole world. And hopefully those people will pay it forward, giving to others what I gave to them. This ripple effect is the power of giving back that can improve the lives of many people.
Lastly, I want to encourage each of you to pursue your dreams, no matter how wild and unrealistic they may seem. I grew up dreaming of the day I would see the world, and I knew the best way of turning that dream into a reality was through education. Education is your key to open so many doors in your life. It will be challenging and difficult along the way but you can do it!
