Returning to Reality
No matter how long the journey, there is nothing quite right about saying goodbye to the exploration you’ve come to know on a daily basis over an entire summer…yet life moves on.
Upon returning to the States, I prepared myself to combat reverse culture shock and depression. After over a month of endless adventure, I knew it would be difficult to resume a normal schedule. Consequently, while gliding through the sky on my plane ride home, I adamantly scribbled inspirational moments, goals for the rest of the year (academic, social, etc.), and edited photos from each destination. I was determined to ensure closure of my experience in an uplifting fashion. Although I still felt the sting of familiarity upon landing at Sky Harbor, the process allowed my gratitude for the trip to fuel my ambitions rather than inhibit them, especially for the upcoming semester.
I feel that my study abroad experience provided me with a new perspective, which has refreshed and positively affected my student life. I have found that I join conversations more easily, being able to relate a variety of topics to my hands-on research or something I observed on the other side of the world. Also, my thirst for knowledge and diverse definitions of sustainability has grown. This is due to speaking with policy makers, village residents, solar energy engineers, university professors, etc., who expressed their own interpretations and connections to the classically defined environmental, social, and economic aspects of sustainability. It is one thing to read about how the subject ties into these three factors, and another to apply them first hand within a very real problem that is still happening as I type.
Moreover, I found myself missing the sound of multiple foreign languages when walking through Tempe. When I first landed in Morocco, Moroccan Arabic and French became my main tongues. Being able to speak with someone and use the two languages interchangeably was extremely challenging, yet intriguing. Follow that experience with the flourishing Spanish of Seville, Granada, Madrid, and Barcelona, Spain, then layer excursions to the Czech Republic, Germany, and Belgium after the program ended; it’s safe to say my mind and tongue were buzzing with the range of dialects. For that reason, I was desperate to engage in cross-cultural interactions within a week of being home. English was too boring! By the beginning of September, I joined an international student group to converse with varied students as well as practice with them in a handful of language clubs. This has fulfilled that unsuspected void.
Another realization that dawned on me was that Europe is not the all-encompassing continent of wanderlust, there’s still so much to explore across the globe! Being in a place so distinctive from what I have experienced in the past was incredibly rewarding. Morocco had its own charm, not only in its different architecture and landscapes, but also in its people. The Moroccans I met encompassed raw hospitality and were superb, warm hosts. Every visit, especially to the Hakim Aaki family orchard and home, made you to feel at home. I have brought this custom back with me – ensuring that I make every individual I meet feel as they did. Engaging these new friends with refreshments such as traditional mint tea and cookies has proved successful.
Overall, I often find myself reflecting on the experience and thinking to myself that it was a dream. However, the evidence of my study abroad experiences are in my new friendships, perspectives, and successes. I still find myself reviewing my writings or photos over coffee with fresh bread and a hard-boiled egg, just how I would usually start the day overseas. It seems like a menial action, but keeping up these small habits that I adopted on the trip has enriched my life and constantly reminds me of the incredible experiences I gained through Arizona State University and Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives.