ISP Reflection-Senior Year 2022

The first time I traveled to Europe was during the summer before I came to UF, which was July 2018. While it is cliché, I truly believe that this trip changed my life in a multitude of ways, especially with how I view myself and my role within the world. I have always sought out adventure, especially with traveling to other countries in order to experience their culture and interact with the people. As a cultural anthropologist, I long to understand humanity, especially in a global sense. Because of these reasons as well as a recommendation from a respected colleague of mine, I felt that enrolling in the UF International Scholars Program would be a great fit for me. Upon signing up for ISP, I never imagined the types of opportunities I would have to develop my communication and language skills and have a greater understanding of the world around me, even through one of the most isolating periods in history.

One of the greatest experiences I have had throughout my involvement with the International Center is the UF NaviGators International program, in which I had the opportunity to be an American mentor to students from other universities in other countries. Many of these students had never previously visited the United States, let alone Gainesville, therefore it was vital for us to provide them with a fulfilling experience while studying at UF. Although I was officially their “mentor”, they mentored me in a multitude of ways as well. Some of my best friends were made through this program, and they truly taught me so much about their lives at university in their home countries. Some of the most rewarding experiences I had as a mentor was simply just grabbing lunch, dinner, or coffee with my mentees and talking to them. Those intercultural experiences are truly special to me, and I am so grateful that I not only developed many skills as a mentor, but many long-lasting friendships as well.

One of the biggest aspects I was able to strengthen through this program was confidence in my language speaking capabilities, especially with Spanish. I have studied Spanish for years, with some of those being at the collegiate level, but I finally had the ability to really utilize these skills during a trip to Mexico in May of 2021. We were staying in a non-tourist area in the Yucatan state of Mexico near the capital, Merida, and I was surprised to realize that many people did not speak English. I will never forget the moment in which we took a taxi to Chichen Itza from our accommodation, and the driver informed us (in Spanish) that he did not speak any English. I was truthfully very excited at this prospect, as I could finally test my Spanish speaking capabilities with someone who only spoke that language. I can honestly say that this was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, as I was able to have a common language with someone that wasn’t my native tongue. This has inspired me to continue with my Spanish studies so that I may be able to help others who may not speak English too.

I feel as if I have grown both as a student and as a person throughout my time as an International Scholar at UF, especially considering my future in cultural anthropology. I plan on pursuing my PhD in cultural anthropology with a focus on digital anthropology, so having an international focus is crucial for studying humanity. Learning about people from different countries and cultures in such a hands-on manner was vital to my understanding of humanity through a global lens. I think that if more students took this opportunity to join ISP, learn a new language, take classes with an international focus, and have more global experiences on and off campus, there would be less ethnocentrism in the world today. In a world that is rapidly globalizing, especially with the internet and social media, having the capacity to interact and communicate with those who speak other languages and have unique backgrounds are some of the most important traits to possess. I know that my time as an International Scholar at UF has not only benefit me as a student, but also as a friend, as I now have international friendships and connections made all throughout the world. My biggest regret as a student at UF was not having the ability to study abroad due to COVID, but I know that in the future I will still implement these skills in my career and travels as well.