Emily Beeland is currently a senior at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. She is double majoring in Sociology and German Studies, and is involved in the student-run coffee shop on campus, Campus Grounds, as well as the rock climbing team. Emily has an interest in the environment, and spends her summers working in Yellowstone National Park. Upon graduation, Emily hopes to further her interests in writing and travel by finding a job that allows her to do both.
In this blog post, Emily talks about the positive impact travel had on her as a high school student:
I don’t think I could have ever imagined what travel would come to mean to me. I grew up in a small town in Georgia, and to me, that was the world; it wasn’t until I reached high school that I was able to experience just how big and incredible the world is. Thanks to one of the incredible teachers at my high school and Explorica, I was able to realize that there is so much more for me out there in this world than I had ever thought possible.
Seven years ago, I applied for a passport. It’s nothing special; just a bit of leather embossed with the seal of the United States of America and a handful of small pages. However, it is what’s inside that little book that is important. There are, of course, the typical pictures of American landmarks and quotes from the Founding Fathers. But, there are also various stamps scattered over the pages like leaves over the pavement – and it is these stamps that are some of my most prized possessions. Those symbols of various sizes and languages mean more to me than any award from competitions or academic achievements.
Seven years ago, I embarked on my first trip to an international country; for a little over a week I would be in France, Italy, and Monaco. That trip was eye-opening in more ways than one – the food, the culture, the language. However, I was still young, only a freshman in high school, and I couldn’t grasp the bigger meaning of that trip. Yes, it was cool and interesting, but that’s all it was to me at the time.
Six years ago, I embarked for the second time on a trip abroad; this time I was going to South Africa. It was once again eye-opening, but it also holds a little bit more meaning in my memories. As a ‘non-Europe’ trip, I expected it to be different and I honestly wondered how much I would like it because it would be so unlike anything I had ever experience before. The thing is, I loved it. Yes, it was different and scary at times, but it was amazing. There is something surreal about realizing that you are in a country that your past self would have never dreamed of going to. There is something surreal about stepping out of your comfort zone and making friends with the other people on the trip and the locals alike. There is something surreal about slowly stepping away from your wallflower persona.
Five years ago, I embarked for the third time on a trip to countries I had only ever seen on maps – Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein. Like all the others, it was eye-opening; but, it was also inspiring. Over the past two years, I had fallen in love with the German culture and language. I thought it would be neat to go to Germany and experience it firsthand, but I never expected it to have the impact that it did. I don’t know how it was possible, but I fell even more in love with the language and culture that I was studying. I left a piece of my heart beside a lake at the base of the mountain where Schloss Neuschwanstein is nestled.
Four years ago, I embarked for my fourth and final time on a trip abroad; this time I was going on a trip to China. There are no words to describe how I felt on that trip. Of course, I had the typical emotions of a traveler – the confusion at cultural differences, the wonder and awe at a sight that was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen, the exhaustion that came from being overwhelmed by a language that is nothing like my own, and the sadness that came when I boarded the plane to head home. However, I also had other emotions that I don’t know how to even begin to put into words. That trip was different – it was surreal. I knew it was my last one and I didn’t want to let it go. I knew that once I stepped off the plane in America, it would officially be over. I remember walking around on that last day trying so hard to take in every view, every sight, every sound, and every emotion because I knew that it would all soon become a memory.
Four years ago, I stepped off the plane that had taken me from Shanghai to Toronto to Atlanta and knew that my days of travel were over. No, they were not completely over; however, no more was I to be a high school student filled with anticipation of the things I would see and embarking on trips that would have a greater impact on me than I could ever imagine.
Since I stepped off that plane four years ago, I have continued to nurture my love of travel. I’ve returned to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, traveled around the United States (including spending two summers in Wyoming), and am constantly making plans to embark on even more trips, both international and domestic. Those trips as a high school student caused me to become more confident in myself, adventurous, and open to the world around me. I don’t think I would be the same person I am today if I had not taken the leap and traveled internationally in high school.
Seven years ago, I embarked on that first trip that would cause me to fall in love with travelling. However, it was not until a few years ago that I came to realize the large impact those trips had on me. “You can go home again … as long as you understand that home is a place you have never been.” Every passing day, my home in Georgia will never be the same as it was the last time I was there just like that lake in Germany will never be exactly as it was two years ago. As human beings, the world around us constantly shapes us and travel allows this to happen. A traveler is not the same person at the end and the beginning of the trip; those are two different people.
If, by chance, you are someone who is about to embark on an international journey, I urge you to embrace it. Take in every single smell, sound, and sight. Go inside small, local coffee shops and learn to overcome the language barrier. Believe me, your attempts might be embarrassing at the time but they will be fond memories when you look back on them. Take a moment to yourself when you are standing somewhere you never thought you would be. Yes, it’s fun to spend so much time with friends; but take a moment to realize where you are and how amazing it is. Most importantly, challenge yourself. Challenge yourself by trying a new food; challenge yourself by talking to someone new; challenge yourself by stepping outside of your comfort zone, even if it is just for a few minutes. Enjoy it and cherish all the memories that you will make.