Pre Departure for Bolivia4ward

While I have been preparing for my trip to Bolivia for a while, I have found it challenging to mentally prepare myself for the adventure ahead. The last few weeks have been extremely overwhelming. Wrapping up school, working, and packing up my apartment occupied every second of my time near the end of the quarter. Then my attention gradually shifted over to the multitude of friendships I began to realize I would shortly lose after graduation. Even though I knew I could stay in touch with the people I cared about, it was difficult to come to terms with the fact that a lot of my close friends that welcomed me to the SCU community would be leaving.

After finishing up my obligations at SCU, I rushed home to make the most of my 3 days in my hometown. I got to San Diego just in time for my sisters high school graduation. Then I squeezed in time with my closest friends from home, grandparents, siblings, parents, and step parents. Now that I have finally taken a moment to process the overwhelming amount of interactions and obligations over the last few weeks, I am incredibly thankful and excited that I will have the opportunity to reset my perspective and take some time for myself in Bolivia over the summer.

I am most excited to immerse myself in the Bolivian culture and learn as much as I can about their lifestyle. Having lived in California my whole life, I have been desensitized to immense amount of privilege afforded to myself and the people around me. Spending a whole summer in Bolivia will hopefully make me more grateful for the privilege I have and also provide insight on the simple aspects of life that bring joy. By observing a culture other than my own, I am hopeful that I will recognize new positive aspects of a lifestyle that I will be able to implement in my life.

I am trying my best to go into the trip without expectations. I think the best way for me to get the most out of the experience will be to go in open minded and curious. Because I don’t know what to expect, an open mind and willingness to make the most out of every situation will help me stay positive and make the trip more meaningful. The lack of expectations has helped prevent me from getting anxious or nervous about the trip.

Along with the immersion in a new culture, I am excited to apply the business skills I have learned at SCU in an impactful way. Utilizing the knowledge I have acquired at school in a third world country will hopefully help me develop an appreciation for the potential positive impact I can make through applying my skills. I also hope this will help influence and direct my future business endeavors.