Homesick in America

For most people, home is where they are from. A hometown is a place special to everyone. You grow up there, the earliest memories of life were formed and the first friends were made. Everyone has different experiences, some move around a lot, some not at all. Everyone has without a doubt felt that feeling of finding himself or herself in a new place, unfamiliar and foreign. Whether that is in a different town, state or country being exposed to somewhere new puts you outside of your comfort zone. For many including me, we thrive outside the comfort zone. Going somewhere new is exciting and refreshing and we all know the feeling of realization about where you are and what you’re doing. I’m sure everyone felt that as they began freshman year at CU and even more so if you did a study abroad program. When you move somewhere either permanently or for an extended period of time, you recognize that you have a new home. My home is in Boulder, I spend the most time here and the majority of my belongings are with me. My home home is back in Parker Colorado where my parents lived. I have not lived there since 2009 I have only visited.

            Homesick in America presented the idea that transitioning to a new home is difficult. The task is made even more trying by moving to an entirely new country. It goes to show that just because you speak the same language, people are unique everywhere. By coming to America from England, it was shown that two countries although similar in many ways, are, when you really get down to it quite culturally different. For my study abroad program, I chose to do Semester at Sea, for 3 ½ months I visited 12 different countries including the United States. Nearly every week it was a new country, a new language and a new culture. Although we weren’t able to spend as much time as we wanted to in each port, we found the best ways to make due with the time we had.  It without at doubt changed me in many ways and proved that wherever you go, there will be similarities and differences and the ability to welcome those similarities and embrace the differences is what discovering a new culture is all about.