As I sat on the plane heading back to the States, I thought back on my winter break. I had spent a month in South America—two weeks in Cusco, Peru and two weeks in Quito, Ecuador—but it definitely didn’t feel like a month. In fact, I felt like I had just got on the plane to leave for Peru, and now I was on my way back. Even though it felt like a short time, it was still packed with experiences I’ll never forget.
I’ll never forget hiking Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, and pushing my mind and body further than I’ve ever pushed them before. I’ll never forget spending Christmas with my fantastic Peruvian host family, and the great lengths they went to make me feel like part of the family.
I’ll never forget getting hustled by local children and buying more llama key chains then I would ever need in my entire life. I’ll never forget the boy who stole my heart, even if just for the night.
Some other great memories that stick out in my mind are zip lining and water rafting in the Cloud Forest in Ecuador, or interviewing the granddaughter of the most famous artist in Ecuador for my journalism internship.
There were some not-so-great memories too. I wasn’t thrilled about getting sick and having to go to an Ecuadorian hospital. It also wasn’t the most fun having hours of homework every night when you wanted to go out with your friends. Squeezing 120 hours of Spanish classes into four weeks is no joke.
But everything, the good and the bad, merged together to become an incredible experience. In the end, it wasn’t about the food I ate or souvenirs I have sitting on my bookshelf now. It was about taking advantage of an opportunity that would have a huge impact on me.
I think everyone should travel, especially during college. Traveling will make you laugh and make you cry. It’ll get you out of your comfort zone and push you to limits you never thought you could go. And it will help you figure out who you truly are and who you want to be.
Going on this trip right before my last semester of college was perfect. It gave me time to really focus on the life I live right now and the life that is awaits me after graduation. It also gave me a sense of the person I really want to be. Now, with three months left until I have to enter the “big kid world,” I’m keeping my sights set of becoming that exact person. I won’t settle for anything less, and neither should you.
Photos by Bethany Blundell