I recently traveled for the first time in my life, outside of the country. It was an experience I so desperately wanted, and I was ready. What I wasn’t prepared for was the two most important lessons I’d ever learn.

I know what you’re thinking, where did I go? Well I went on the most stereotypical vacation you could ever go on: all-inclusive on an island. We stayed on a resort in a third world country, and were practically waited on at all times. We were for sure living the life. My entire goal for the trip was to drink as many frozen alcoholic drinks I could (drinking age was 18) and to disconnect from communication back home.

The first day we got there, we were met with people fetching our bags and giving us lemonade. When our room wasn’t ready, they told us the places to grab lunch, and where we could find the bar. It seemed as if reaching my goal #1 wasn’t going to be too hard. Grabbing lunch, I realized that everyone there was so friendly, and I know that of course they have to be friendly, it is there job, but think about when you go to a restaurant and the waitress is rude, and then think about how many times that has happened to you… exactly. With all of the positive vibes, I automatically decided I wasn’t going back home.

Lesson One: Appreciate What You Have

On the third day of our vacation, is when I learned lesson one. My family went on a tour through downtown and was able to see an average house for a farmer on the island. As we take the bus through the city, we see that it is extremely different than the US. Downtown didn’t include sushi burrito restaurants or high-end boutiques that only people on Bravo can shop at. Their downtown-included small little shops that sold clothing we’d consider out of date. There were people walking around pushing a wheelbarrow. There were small children running on the sidewalks along the bus to wave or make money by selling flowers. You saw people laughing and smiling. You saw homes that were no bigger than an average American living room, but people were sitting on those porches waving at the tourists with smiles.

As we reach our destination at farmer’s house, we get to take a look inside the home. It was small, two rooms shared by nine people, with running water only safe for bathing and washing dishes. I thought it was so odd that, the only way to drink or cook was out of bottled water. Imagine wanting to cook spaghetti, and instead of using the water out of the tap, using water bottles to fill up the pot. Imagine the inconvenience that is just to cook an average meal.

Another stop on our tour was a school. One school, with one classroom, that held about 15 desks. The school didn’t seem so bad, until the principal explained that that was the school for about 75 children, kindergarten and up. That one school, the one classroom, and the 15 desks were for 75 children who could only go to school for four hours a day because there’s not enough money or resources. It was odd to think that 75 kids, desperate for knowledge lack the basic necessities to even go to school a normal day. As a student teacher, I hear people say students aren’t learning how to add, subtract, multiply, or divide the same way they once did. That everything is changing and is different, but little do they know that there are 75 children that are barely learning to do any of that because they just don’t have the resources. I know 75 may not seem like a lot. 75 is under 100 so that isn’t bad, but it was 75 for that school. It could be more or it could be less in the other schools there, but the number shouldn’t be 75, because there shouldn’t be a number.

Lesson 2: Learn To Be Helpful, Don’t Expect Accommodations

Throughout the resort on a Spanish speaking country, staff members did their best to communicate with non-Spanish speaking guests. At dinner one night, I learned lesson 2. We were at the resort eating at one of the restaurants, when our waiter apologized because his English wasn’t “that good”. Which made me freeze in my chair because I thought, “we are in your country. Why are you apologizing to us for not speaking our language?” I know that sounds crazy, but think about a resort like Disney. When you go to Disney, you have no problem checking in, ordering food, and asking for something because everyone speaks English. Imagine if a person from a non-English speaking country visits Disney. Think about the amount of translators or efforts will be made to accommodate the guest. There really isn’t that many translators or accommodations because we expect that everyone that visit, will speak English.

As people, I think it is important that we take the time out to be as considerate to others as we want others to be to us. When visiting another country, learn the language and learn the customs. Don’t just automatically assume that everything you do will be accommodated for. Take the time to learn the basic words that you know you will need, because it shows that you are trying just as hard as them. Stop expecting people to treat you a specific way just because of your nationality, because at the end of the day it doesn’t make your life any less or any more important than someone else’s.