“In the sweetness of friendship, let there be laughter and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.” -Khalil Gibran
It’s easy to look back on a trip and only see the select few large moments; however, it is important to remember that it’s the tiny details that can change the entire vibe of the trip.
When we first landed, my dear friend Azira instantly walked up to me and took my suitcase. She refused to let me carry my baggage myself. She is probably about half a foot shorter than me at least, and the first thing I remember is her walking right up to me and looking up at me to offer a helping hand. This instilled a welcoming, loving tone instantly for the trip.
Looking back at pictures of everyone, I can still hear their laughs like they’re right next to me. Each moment we laughed together, the sound was engrained into my memory further. Seeing their smiles are contagious and still make me smile looking back at pictures.
I bonded with my host-sister through the game Batu Seremban even though she is still learning English. We worked through the language barrier and shared laughs as we tried to outcompete each other in a game of quick hands. She would laugh watching me struggle with the first three levels while she worked on the last three levels.
Ain would verify the spicy-level of food and ingredients before each meal to be sure I could eat whatever I put on my plate. She consistently asked if I was doing okay numerous times throughout the day. I told her she was my mom of the trip because she was always watching out for me. I will always remember the concerned look on her face each time she asked how I was doing.
When friends and family ask if I enjoyed the trip and why, the best phrase I can come up with to describe it is it’s a wonderful learning opportunity that separates you from all distractions of friends, family, and your routine to provide you the opportunity to really learn about another culture as well as yourself. You have no outer influence from opinions of those you respect and see regularly. You have space to let new people in to become a part of your family in life.
This trip was a wonderful opportunity I was fortunate enough to be able to be a part of. It allowed me the opportunity to fully immerse myself in another culture long enough to build lifelong friendships. I was able to learn more about myself as a student, future educator, and person in general. Without this trip, I wouldn’t have been able to collaborate with people who have the same passion as me from across the country and world. It’s eye-opening to be able to learn about how others share their passion for agriculture and what steps they take to educate others about the way we feed the world.
