I have a hard time explaining the feeling I get before I travel somewhere, whether I’ve visited before or not. I get this little knot of excitement somewhere deep inside my stomach that almost makes it impossible to sleep the night before I’m set to leave. As I get closer to my destination, the little knot turns into a full blown anticipation high that leaves my cheeks aching with a smile that I can never seem to wipe off until I get to customs. At that point, I like to pretend it’s just another normal day for me (even though I’m busting at the seams with enthusiasm), and immediately limit my english to necessity, usually switching to French (even when I’m not in a francophone country…) so that I can feel like I’m not so much a tourist, but an honorary European. It probably sounds a little ridiculous that I’m so eager to drop my Americanism, but I love feeling adopted by another culture.
This past summer I had the opportunity to visit some fantastic cultures when, on our way to visit my dad’s side of the family in France, we had a 24-hour layover in Istanbul, Turkey before flying into Brussles, Belgium and road tripping to the house my grandmother was raised in on the French countryside. Getting to see Istanbul was life changing, even though I only visited for two days in total. I got to experience this new culture where the east and west collided, making the most eclectic and fantastic blend of goods, spices, and people. This visit fueled this deep longing I’ve had to visit somewhere even more different and out of my comfort zone.Since I was 15 months old, I’ve been so fortunate as to get to travel with my parents overseas to visit relatives in France. There have been a few times we’ve taken side trips to visit neighboring countries, and I can’t count the blessings I’ve been given in these respects, but I’ve only ever really experienced European and American cultures.
Since I was 16 I’ve wanted to visit Africa. It started off as this longing to serve where I felt there was need, but now it’s evolved into this longing to understand and share love, with the understanding that I’ll probably gain more than I could ever hope to offer. I’ve been told by numerous people that I’d be better off “sending my money,” but I’m unconvinced. I’ve gained some of the most incredible experiences and knowledge from traveling abroad with my family, but I want to go to this continent that I feel so strongly about (for reasons I still haven’t entirely figured out) on my own. I know that my generation feels much more strongly about visiting countries abroad and gaining new experiences, but I dream of going to the hard places, where darkness and despair seem abundant, and finding light, hope, and beauty in desperation, and, somehow, cultivating love.
I went to Storyline Conference (put on by Donald Miller to help people find their subplot in God’s story) the weekend before last, and have found myself realizing that I’ve been dreaming and hoping, but never really doing. I recently did some research (i.e. 6 hours of it when I was supposed to be doing my homework), and discovered that Belmont offers a semester abroad in Africa for three weeks in May, during which I would get school credit. My heart leapt as I read the description and I wondered, what am I waiting for?
So I’m signing up. Why? Because experiences are more valuable than all the money in the world. What do I hope I’ll gain?
- Insight
- Understanding
- Love
- Cultural experience
- The time of my life
The Transition Artist 