It was 33 days ago that I was scurrying through the massive Madrid airport trying to find baggage claim, when my study abroad class hopped on a shuttle to the correct baggage stop and the shuttle doors closed in my face. Saying I was panicked would be an understatement. I had NO IDEA where I was going and could not understand the sea of international people around me. Deep breath Sam. Okay. So I reluctantly climbed on the next shuttle and loudly asked, “Does anyone know where baggage is?” The abyss of people from around the world started back with confused glared. “No ingles” a friendly foreigner expressed. “Baggage?” again I said. And with that my prayers were answered when a man who spoke broken English told me I was at the right stop and I was then able to locate my plane number to find my way back to the University of Delaware clan
That is when I realized this was going to be a steep learning curve. Since then, there failed to be dull moment on this trip where I felt completely in my element and comfortable. It is here, outside of my comfort zone, where I was able to gain a new perspective on prejudice realize these moments of panic really shape our perceptions of other cultures. The implicit and many times subtle stereotypes we don’t even realize we have are born via fear. The truth is, throughout this trip, I found myself panicked many times when something was different from my normal back on the East Coast. For example, I quickly learned that in South Spain, almost all shops would be closed for a siesta in the afternoon hours, meaning my grumbling belly couldn’t have lunch until 3pm. While it is easy to brush this off as Spaniards being lazy and wanting to go home for the afternoon, the reality is that Spaniards simply place more value on spending time at home to connect with their family during the day rather than scarfing down a turkey and cheese to catch up on emails or make that next deal. Now, that’s not to say that American’s do not value family! Gosh, I do not know what I would do without my mom! Different cultures simply have different ways of expressing it. This art of being aware, appreciative and respectful differences is a part of being culturally sensitive. This is a skill that is becoming all the more important as the world continues to globalize. After spending a month in Spain and Italy, I feel that I have been able to develop a greater sense of understanding that will not only make me a more tolerant person but it will also increase my communication skills on both personal and business levels.
It was really important for me to connect this trip to my social work career goals. It is so clear to me now how seeing the world through other people’s eyes and learning from others instead of about them is the truest way to learn. This lesson within itself is priceless. This lesson could combat so much worldly intolerance.
What it comes down to is that it is only natural for us as humans to fear what we do not understand. Take me for example in a foreign airport hopelessly lost on how to catch up with my group; of course I was scared! So it makes sense that people judge others and continue to stay inside their comfort zone. But, instead of letting that fear turn into hate, resentment or anger, this trip has shown me that we should instead seek to understand. This doesn’t mean you have to go abroad to do this. Have conversations with people. Learn the method to their madness so you can be a little less ignorant to the people you share the world with. Take the advice that my eighty-three-year-old professor, Amalia, echoed over the past four and a half weeks, “Go with the flow, live in the moment!”
