As
a student of the Honors College at Western Kentucky University, I have been
given many life changing and beneficial opportunities. One of these
opportunities was the ability to study abroad, not once but twice. Through
Study Abroad and Global Learning, I have traveled to and studied abroad in
Ecuador on a Faculty Led trip through the Department of Agriculture the past
two years. Before coming to college I never would have dreamed of studying
abroad and I had never though that it was something for me.
After
traveling to Ecuador last year, I knew that I had to return. I fell in love
with the country: its people, its history and its culture. I was able to step
out of my “comfort zone” and experience culture that is unlike anything that
could be experienced here in the United States, especially in Kentucky. I
learned about the struggles of a developing nation and how greatly it differs
from where I live, whether it be the interest rate or the monthly salary of the
workers in various industries.
But
I would have to say that one of my favorite parts of studying abroad is that we
are given the opportunity to help people. For the study abroad program that I
participated in, we partnered with the Kentucky-Ecuador Partnership. As part of
this collaboration, the service project for the course was to visit several
schools and apply dental varnish on the teeth of the children and the teachers.
Unlike here in the United States people in Ecuador, especially in the areas we
visited, dental care is not as accessible. The various trips to schools and the
time that we spent with the teachers and the students are memories I will never
forget. It was truly a life changing experience to see the smile on their faces
after we applied the varnish, explained its benefits, and handed them toothbrushes
and the impact that we were making on their lives.
For
as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a dentist so that I could help
people and the service project was what initially. Through this service project
I have been able to further define my future career. In the future I want to
travel around the world and provide dental care to those who otherwise wouldn’t
be able to receive treatment. I give full credit to my study abroad experiences
for helping me realize my calling.
I
am grateful to attend a university that does everything possible to help its
students to have the opportunity to study abroad. I will always cherish the
opportunities and experiences that studying abroad has provided me with, and I
can’t wait to see where my study abroad journey will take me next.
