It would shock me if someone were to travel abroad and only encounter people with backgrounds and outlooks similar to their own. Traveling means encountering diversity, and in this reflection, I talk about some perspectives on diversity I heard in class as well as my own experiences with diversity.
Hearing the different perspectives on diversity abroad was extremely interesting for me. Diversity is something I am most excited to experience abroad, but I hadn’t ever put much thought into the fact that I would be in the minority there. I grew up a white, Christian girl in an area dominated by white, Christian people, so I have very rarely felt “outside” of anything. However, I am Catholic in an area dominated by Protestants, which has been interesting at times. The differences between Christian denominations aren’t even near the same league as the racial and ethnic differences that can cause tension abroad, though, so I have a lot to learn about being in the minority. I can only recall one time in my life when I truly felt outnumbered and overwhelmed: I was ten years old and my family was visiting the Grand Canyon. We arrived late at night, and were having trouble finding our hotel. Tired and hungry, we stopped at a small cafe owned by the park to get sustenance before buckling down and finding the hotel. The inside of the cafe was absolutely packed with people, all from eastern Asia. Not a one was speaking English (they were being very loud in their various languages), and even the cafe employees were foreign. To top it all off, the restaurant was out of the chicken pot pie. It was all too much for my sleep deprived, hungry little head, and I was panicked and confused. Looking back now, my distress seems quite ridiculous, but it did open my eyes a bit to the pressures of being in the minority anywhere. Granted, I say a bit because my situation was incredibly tame, but it can serve as somewhat of a parallel for people who actually represent a minority on a day to day basis. Feeling outnumbered and unable to connect with the people around you can be terrifying, and that is often what students studying abroad experience during their first few weeks outside of their own country.
Having nearly another decade of life under my belt, I doubt that the Grand Canyon cafe incident would even cause me to bat an eye now, but I am aware that my experience abroad may be similarly overwhelming, and I am prepared for it. I’m actually quite excited to go abroad and experience life in the minority for once- I know it will teach me a great deal. I’m prepared to stand out, being a 5’10’’ white American female, but I’m eager to share my diversity, and in turn to experience the diversity of others. It’s going to be challenging at times, but it will be well worth it in the end.