Studying abroad, in my mind, is the pinnacle of the college experience. For years I was promised that embarking on a study abroad program would be a life-changing experience, so this trip was a dream come true. I expected to spend one month traveling across two countries to study the Maya and their surrounding environment. This trip was so much more than that.
I found my time abroad framed by comparisons and balances. My research project studied the ancient Maya and Western civilizations’ environmental ideologies to compare their urban planning styles. This project prompted constant acknowledgment and analysis of the balance between human and natural spaces, and any possible shifts in this relationship over time. Due to the temporal range of my project, I needed to make observations in every archaeological site and town we visited. However, I often found myself struggling to balance academic requirements with tourist desires. Some days the academic was victorious, and I focused on the connections between our daily excursions and my research project. On other days, like the day in Tikal National Park, the desire to be a tourist won out. I allowed myself to experience the jungle and Maya temples without the pressure of notes and detailed observations. The comparative nature of my project and my inner balance between fun and academics often left me feeling like I existed at an intersection between worlds, similar to the interworld connections represented by the ceiba tree.
Traveling and studying in Guatemala and Belize lived up to the life-changing promise of study abroad. There was a lot of new on this program: cultures, friends, countries, sights, and experiences. Every night I went to bed exhausted, and every morning I woke up ready for more.