May 20, 2014

Reconnecting

My first internship I ever had was working at EF International Language School in 2006. I spent the summer  working in an environment where there were students from all over the world. At that moment it became a priority of mine to be immersed in culturally diverse environments, whether it be professionally, educationally or socially. One challenge to being internationally minded and working with internationally minded people is that there seems to be a constant state of mobility. This means that friendships can quickly be made and a level of comfort established in seeing someone nearly everyday, but then just as quickly as the friendship came to be, someone is already leaving to go back to their home country or to a new location entirely. It can be tough becoming close to someone and then having to say goodbye, but there is always the strong hope that you will meet again at some point; the location undetermined. 

One thing I was most excited about when moving to Europe was knowing that friends I made in the past, who were typically a 10 hour plane ride away, would soon be within reach via a cheap and fast flight. I got to see my roommate from when I studied abroad, several of my favorite students from EF, a close colleague of mine from Northwestern and even a close family friend whom I had not seen in over 15 years. All were such gracious hosts and so open in sharing about their country. There really is something special about getting to catch up with someone you have not seen for years and realizing how much they've grown and changed, while at the same time seeing that the core of who they are is still very much the same. When seeing someone in the place they grew up or the place they really call home it is even easier to see someone's true spirit, more brilliant than ever.  Travel possesses a wonderful balance between meeting new people and reconnecting with those you've already met and have good reason to meet again. I am extremely grateful to have met so many wonderful people from around the world and feel very lucky to have reconnected with so many, with the hope to meet and reconnect with many more in the future.
Alexia (Roommate, Study Abroad Oxford, 2006)
(Tel Aviv, 2014) 
Malou (Student, EF Oakland, 2008)
(Copenhagen, 2014)

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