As of writing this, I have just completed my fifth week here in Medellin, Colombia. This experience was transformative, as I have seen remarkable changes within myself. The city itself is vibrant and full of life, with a rich history and culture that I have been eager to explore through museums, events, and restaurants. Of course, some challenges come with living in any new place—language barriers, cultural differences, and navigating unfamiliar streets—that can be daunting at times. But overall, I feel incredibly grateful for this opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture and way of life.
Since this is the first time I have traveled outside the United States without family and the primary language is not English, these stressors caused some pre-travel jitters. For weeks leading up to my flight, I tried to appease my nerves by teaching myself as much about the country as possible before my trip. (This comes from my mother, as we both, or at least try to, overprepare for anything.) I researched everything about the country, the city, and the specific neighborhood that I would be living in for the summer through the internet, social media, and talking to family, friends, and other people who had visited Colombia before. I also listened to more media in Spanish in hopes of easing the transition from primarily speaking English to Spanish outside my house. The measures taken helped me, but they failed to prevent the cumulation of these anxieties and more.
One of the anxieties I struggled with was switching dominant languages. Coming from a monolingual household, I struggled with accepting that no one in my family could help me with this mandatory switch. However, I did my best to prepare for it myself. Despite this, I have experienced some challenges. Some of my speaking anxiety stemmed from my limited vocabulary and not-so-perfect grammar. The limited vocabulary could be fixed by speaking more and learning slang and colloquialisms. However, grammatical issues could only be fixed through practice in speech. At first, my speaking anxiety prevented me from speaking freely. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how understanding people were of my speech. When I could clearly communicate, I marked those times as a little win for myself. Of course, there were times that I accidentally mispronounced a word and/or said a similar-sounding word with a completely different meaning. However, even during those times, the person I was talking to was usually empathetic and spoke clearly so that I could understand.
Though having an empathetic listener is normally the case, this will not always be the case. There would be times when a stutter, hesitation, or even my accent hinted to another person that Spanish wasn’t my primary language. Because of this, the other person would automatically switch to English if they knew, or act annoyed and stop talking to me altogether. For example, during my third week here, I took the wrong bus. It traveled to the downtown area of the city, which is in the opposite direction from where my apartment is located. When I noticed this, I attempted to talk to the bus driver, mentioning my concern about my current location and if the bus would go to my apartment or at least return to the station I entered from. However, the driver started shouting. In the noisy environment, I was unable to completely comprehend what the driver was saying. After two minutes of trying to understand what he was saying, he went quiet and ignored me. (I was eventually informed by a lady on the bus that if I continued sitting on the bus, it would return me to my intended location.)
In either case, I would feel a mix of emotions. I would start to second-guess myself, feel self-conscious about my skills, and begin to clam up. However, soon after those events, I would have to continue forward and push these negative feelings behind me instead of wallowing. These good and bad speaking experiences serve as learning experiences, and I realized early on that I could not just take the good without the bad. To see true progression, I had to embrace my flaws and strengths simultaneously.
Learning that lesson liberated me from the feeling of trying to speak perfect Spanish. Free from that suffocating feeling, I could work to improve myself through everyday conversations with my co-workers and passersby. Through fully embracing this immersive experience, I have gained a more adventurous and confident stature. Now, if there are events I would like to go to, I would go, not allowing my prior anxieties to continue dictating my decisions. I want to take a stroll around the neighborhood. Why not? I want to go to the local theater to watch a new movie. Sure, who is stopping me? (Of course, I would have to consider safety precautions as a solo traveler in these situations.) Contrary to my previous sentiment, which would constantly impede my personal exploration, this new way of thinking allows me to truly enjoy my time here.
Cable Car Experience
Last Train in Medellin
Visiting local universities: UPB
Now that I’m at the halfway point, reflecting on my progression since coming here has served as a great reminder of my personal and professional development. As I look forward to my future weeks here, I plan to keep an open mind and embrace every moment.
Meeting Dr. Cesar Uribe