As for leisure, I have, so far, been able to travel all around Colombia--from the coasts to the mountains--and I've still got places I can't wait to see.
While you all won't be there for all those new stories, I encourage all of you to pursue curiosity about the world in whatever ways you can, whether that means finding a pen pal or video game buddy from across the world, or just reading the local news of a random city a continent away. There are so many ways to connect with the world outside your own culture, and I hope each of you finds how valuable that experience can be. Maybe even some of you will go on to study or work in international fields like me! I hope so!
If any of you do wish to travel abroad one day, I suggest thinking about study abroad programs in college or volunteer opportunities like my work with the Peace Corps. These types of programs cut financial costs (some even pay you to do them) and help support you once you're abroad.
I am grateful to have been able to reach out to all of you (especially since you are students from my home state!), and I hope my stories have helped drive your curiosity about the world. Colombia often reminds me how different one place can be from another, but I also tend to find homely similarities when I am least expecting it. The world is both immensely large, and shockingly small, and we, as people, are often more alike than we think.
While our experience together is ending, keep pursuing your world education! Even if travelling abroad isn’t in your future, the lessons learned from having simple curiosity about the world and an eagerness to learn are invaluable.
