Study Abroad and the Path to Self-Realization

It seemed like it took an eternity to reach the border of Chile and Argentina that surprisingly hot January day. The weight of the backpack seemed to add a surprising amount of heat to that of the sun. We were on the first leg of our excursion to the breathtaking Patagonia region of Argentina, trying to make sure we would forever have that much sought-after experience of standing with one foot in Argentina and the other in Chile. I would have never realized, however, until the guide suddenly and proudly announced, that we had, at that moment, reached the border with the plains of Argentina behind me and the Andes of Chile rising before me.

My thirst for knowledge of the world, the desire to explore and the need to experience distant lands and cultures began way before that unforgettable day in the outskirts of Cushamen, Argentina. Indeed, one can easily read a book or take intensive history, art, or cultural anthropology courses and say that they know about the world, but what does one really know without experiencing it? Courses and textbooks expand one’s knowledge of the world, a knowledge that one must then go forth and use. All of the key experiences throughout my life that have taught me the most about who I am and what I want out of life can be related to international travel and intercultural exchange.

For many young people, it takes many trials and errors to find their path and to discover who they really are. Of course, there are many who never do find their way. One sure way to speed up, and guarantee, the process of fulfillment and self-sufficiency is to leave behind the familiar, their comfort zone, along with all of their friends and material possessions, to embark on a journey of not only world exploration but, and more importantly, of self-discovery.

The journey does not even necessarily have to be to the far reaches of the globe to have a lasting impact. After graduating from high school in a small Midwestern town, I took an internship in Miami, Florida, that I would end up doing for two consecutive summers. Though the internship in itself was a very unique opportunity in the entertainment industry, it was more the fact of being far away from small town Ohio for the first time that truly had an impact on me.

The differences between Miami and the small town where I grew up left lasting impressions on me; so much so that my desire to travel really began to blossom. The simplest things, such as the Spanish menus and street signs, captivated me; it was everything I imagined it would be like in a foreign country. There, in Miami, I learned there was such a vast world out there, so different from my own, and that I would stop at nothing to be a part of it.

Upon beginning college coursework, I enthusiastically enrolled in Spanish and French courses.   At first I struggled to really get into the languages and overcome the hardships these new challenges brought to me. Discovering foreign movies, music and books in my target languages eventually began to solidify everything I was learning in the classroom. From these sources of inspiration my love of language began to blossom into a love of culture. Progressively more enveloped in the cultural aspects of my linguistic studies, I soon became not only interested in the languages themselves but also the cultures behind them. I knew that I wanted to continue learning about the world and enrolled at The Ohio State University majoring in both Spanish and International Studies.

By my second year at OSU, I was ready to follow my dreams abroad for the first time and often found myself in the study abroad office looking over all of the programs that were being offered in my fields (and others!). It was obvious that I wanted to study Spanish abroad but wasn’t sure which program would be right for me or what part of the Spanish speaking world would best suit me at the time. “Everyone goes to Spain,” I thought. “I want somewhere even MORE exotic.”

My study abroad advisor enthusiastically pointed me in the direction of a brand new program she had just helped design in Rosario and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Admiring her enthusiasm for the program and that it was she personally who had just had the opportunity to travel to Argentina to prepare the program, I realized this opportunity was the one I had been so tirelessly looking for. I quickly applied and soon was getting ready for my first trip abroad. Little did I know just how much this program would change the course of my life.

Studying abroad was one of the best experiences of my college career. It is hard to put into words how enriching this experience was for me. I became so enveloped in the culture and language of Argentina and knew that I had finally done something extraordinary. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I travelled throughout Argentina and the surrounding countries. Meeting Brazilians while in South America, I once again fell in love with a language and culture and began a Portuguese minor upon returning to campus. Back at home, I knew I would have to continue to enrich myself internationally and that I would immediately try and find ways to travel abroad again.

After my study abroad experience, my senior year ended swiftly but I kept myself very busy in any intercultural activity I could find. I interned at a literacy center enrolling immigrants into English classes and helping them find jobs in the local community. Volunteering at a Latino Community Center, giving free English lessons to adults, taught me the importance of having a native speaker in the classroom.

The university had a program called English Conversation Partners in which I helped international students assimilate themselves to the university and American culture. My partner and I would often partake in activities around campus together, giving them an opportunity to practice their English with me and absorb everything I could teach them about the American way of life. In turn, I enthusiastically learned great deals about their cultures, feeding even more my desire to travel and inspire others to do the same.

Upon obtaining my Bachelors Degree, I searched abroad and soon found myself working as an English teacher in Madrid, Spain. I spent the next two amazing years living in Spain and traveling all over Europe. From the back of a camel trekking through the sand dunes of Morocco, to the people-watching in the bustling public squares of Paris and Rome, to being mesmerized by the calls to prayer from the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, I learned so much about so many different cultures in such a short amount of time. It was so rewarding being able to utilize all the knowledge I had gained in the classroom and being able to be a part of these cultures in my everyday life.

During the summer months, I moved to Paris where I enrolled myself in intensive French courses and enveloped myself in the local culture. I grew to realize there is no comparison between what you can learn in a classroom and what you can learn by experience. Whenever given the opportunity, I was off to yet another country, making lifelong friends from a vast array of different cultures and backgrounds.

Meeting so many interesting people, visiting them in their home countries, hearing about their studies abroad, and being able to experience it with them, eventually provided me with the knowledge of what I wanted to do with my life. There is no better way to discover yourself or your path, than by setting out for a foreign land and to become an outsider looking in on your own life and culture.

I feel that I owe all of the incredible international experiences I’ve had to my study abroad in Argentina. I am forever grateful to my study abroad advisor who helped me choose the program that was just right for me when I was overwhelmed and nervous about all of the options so meticulously displayed before me. She helped me feel excited and ambitious for the experience when it could have otherwise seemed too daunting. I know now that I want to be able to encourage and affect other student’s lives the way she, and this experience, have affected my own. I want to make a difference in the lives of students by motivating them to incorporate an international experience into their education. Study abroad is rewarding not only for the individual student, but for the university, the nation and the host country as well.

Intercultural experiences will always be an important aspect of a strong educational background. The demand for workers with international experience will continue to rise at an exponential rate. Henry David Thoreau once said, “It were as well to be educated in the shadow of a mountain as in more classical shades. Some will remember, no doubt, not only that they went to college, but that they went to the mountain.” The many defining moments one has in their life while living, working, or studying abroad, prepares them, in ways that no other experience can, to go to that mountain. The mountain of self-fulfillment, self-discovery, and, above all, personal success, in whatever sense of the word works best for them. So set your sights high, study abroad, and don’t be afraid to keep going forward without ever looking back.

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Paul Joseph Downey is a graduate from The Ohio State University with bachelor degrees in Spanish and International Studies, and Florida International University with a Master of Science in International Education.  Born in Columbus, Ohio, and currently residing in Miami, Florida, he also considers Madrid, Paris, and Buenos Aires all very dear to his heart.

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