Whelp, it’s over now. Today, the first full day I’ve had in the United States in a month, has been really weird. Last night, I fell asleep in the clothes I wore on the plane and this morning I woke up extremely early to the sun just like I did in Caye Caulker (there it was at 5:30 in the morning). I also have to take a bunch of new antibiotics because I got sick on the last day of the trip, yay me!
But still, I wouldn’t trade any part of the last month for the world. I got to meet the best people and I’m confident we’ll remain friends because we’ve been snapping each other updates since we got home all day. I have a bunch of souvenirs and reminders that I’m excited to decorate my apartment with when I get back to Austin. Most importantly, I feel like I have a better understanding of the world and a better perspective on life from all the things I experienced while abroad.
It’s hard to pick a favorite memory, but a few that stick in my mind are 1. the food. I never considered myself a foodie or anything like that, and especially not much of a drinker, but the food and night life in Antigua are like, so much better than what I’m used to eating fast food all the time here in the States.
2. Being in nature. I lost count of how many different environments we were in over just 4 and a half weeks. We made it all the way from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic in that time and I also got a tan, lost a shoe in the ocean, got extremely itchy from mosquito bites, jumped over snakes in the jungle, and got frustratingly tangled hair from the wind on all the boat rides. But there were also so many opportunities to become acquainted with forms of nature I’d never seen before and think about how people (not me) can survive and thrive in all these environments.
That brings me to 3. the people. Our homestay family was made up of some of the most caring and generous people I’ve ever met. We couldn’t understand each other very well but always made every effort to listen and learn from each other. I made a list in my journal of all the cool people we met along the way as a way to remember them all. They were all so accommodating in their own special ways.
This trip is especially sentimental for me because I just graduated so it’s really my last experience with UT, at least for a while. I’m so glad that I made so many new friends when I’m leaving so much behind as I move on to the next chapter in my life. Peace n love to all you guys.
