A Lesson or Two
As I sit writing this blog post, I am full of so many emotions and really at a loss for words. It has been two weeks since I returned to Iowa from Lima and I have had some time to reflect on my experiences. However, I do not believe I have fully grasped the magnitude of my experiences, yet.
My intention with this final blog post is to share the two biggest lessons I learned as a Borlaug-Ruan Intern. They are maybe a little unconventional (and have absolutely nothing to do with the antioxidant levels of native Andean tubers) but I hope you’ll keep reading anyway. I’ll even pose a challenge or two for you, friend, as well.
Even just two weeks later, it feels like I was in Peru a lifetime ago. Sure, I have all of the memories, but I am really the only one who has them. No one will ever have the same exact experience I did. If I could take all of the emotions, thoughts, and realizations from my time in Peru and put them into words or an interpretive dance or maybe a photo slideshow, I totally would. Alas, I cannot. This really is a story best shared over coffee, face to face. If you would like to hear more from me, face to face, please do not hesitate to reach out. I have some phenominal coffee from Peru I would love to share with you!
Lesson 1: Start each new day with “Hello”
Every moring, without fail, I was greeted by each and every person who walked past my makeshift desk. It didn't matter who it was or where they were going, but they always took the extra two seconds to say a quick “buenos días,” “hola,” or sometimes even “good morning.” While this small gesture did not require any spectacular amount of effort on their part, it made all of the difference to me. The small gesture made by my colleuges each day made me feel so much more welcome at CIP, and as if I belonged in the space I was in, and was not just an intern who would be leaving after just nine short weeks.
The challenge: go out of your way each day to say “hello” to someone new. Make an effort to cultivate a culture of belonging where ever you may find yourself. The gym, a research lab, walking your dog, or standing in line for your morning coffee. It may seem small and minuscule to you but to someone else, it may mean the difference between a bad day and a good day, or even a good day and a great day. They always say the extra mile is never crowded (or something like that) so take it from me; this small effort will pay off in big ways, whether you realize it or not.
Lesson two: Be where your feet are
Being in a different country where the primary language spoken wasn’t English, it was really easy for me to just tune out the people around me. Initially I did find myself midlessly scrolling social media on my phone when I wasn’t directly involved in the conversations around me, or when I wasn’t necessarily comfortable in a social situation. However, I did challenge myself to stay engaged in the space I was in and to not space out or fall into the trap of scrolling on my phone. This, my friends, was the number one thing I did that made my experience in Peru the best it possibly could have been. That does mean I may have missed a few photo ops here and there, but what I did not do was miss out on was the true experiences because I was trying to capture a moment in a photo. I truly believe if I had not set the intention to be fully present, I would have missed out on of the best, most meaningful conversations and moments of my summer.
The challenge: put your phone away, please. When in new or different situations it can be easier to retreat inward and look for the familiarity of your friend’s brother’s uncle’s second cousin’s daily life update they share on Facebook or a friendly face on a Snapchat story. This practice may provide temporary entertainment or grant you with a sense of connection, but it will leave you continuously seeking your next moment of connection, which will become exhausting. I will warn you though, when you create the intention of being in the present moment, you will experience so much more. More laughs. More joy. More inside jokes and “remember when” moments. I promise you anything you are searching for on social media (beyond cute dog memes) can be found in a much greater magnitude in the beautiful, shining faces of those around you. You know, the people who you can hug, high five, and even maybe get a little annoyed with sometimes? Those people.
Thank you, friends, for being with me through my experience in Peru, and thank you for reading this far. It is so bittersweet to be signing off one last time as a “current” Borlaug-Ruan Intern, but I cannot wait to see what the future holds.
Kaci
