The Human Experience

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." -Mark Twain

Although I have had the privilege of traveling a great deal as a young kid, the truth of this quote always amazes me. I believe this quote, strongly worded as it is, encompasses only a small part of the picture. Travel, exposure to unfamiliar situations, represents a universal chance to learn and grow. A more wholesome, expansive view of the world is only one side effect of this growth.

When traveling to Puerto Rico, I knew that I would learn something. I had no idea what, but I was excited to see how this trip would allow me to grow, to take a step towards a life of fulfillment, compassion, and leadership. Now, looking back, I believe it has changed me in ways I never expected.

Before the trip, I will be the first to admit I knew very little about Puerto Rico. Its struggles, its triumphs, its history, or its traditions; It all seemed a bit out of reach. As what felt like an outsider, I felt like I lacked the ability to even begin to understand such a complex culture. What struck me in Puerto Rico was that, although I felt like an outsider to the island in almost every way, the community there did not feel the same way. The way we were welcomed at El Nido for food and conversation, the enthusiasm of all the workers at YUCAE, Don Manuel at APRODEC and all of the small interactions between gave a sense welcome. When we ogled at the beauty of the coastline, the plants, wildlife, or the artistic traditions, the Puerto Rican community was there, enjoying it just as much, relishing the opportunity to share the land and culture they hold so dear.

These interactions have changed how I relate myself to the rest of the world. I have always struggled to reconcile my home life with my service. I was used to a life that fell distinctly within class lines, with no ill intention my parents shopped, ate, and interacted with a group of people very similar to ourselves. Spending more than two decades in this environment made me feel at home. Coming to Trenton, to Bonner, placed me far outside of the white, suburban, upper-middle class. I felt, distinctly, like an outsider. It didn’t help that with my schedule as an Engineer, I had no real site. I bumped around from site to site, always getting my hours done, but in such a way I couldn’t help but feel isolated from those around me. Even as an out of state student, I found it hard to relate with even my friends who I took classes alongside. In the same way I viewed Puerto Rico I doubted my ability to understand, to grasp the complex stories and histories of those around me without stepping on toes or igniting conflict. I found it hard to relate, and so I stayed this way for a long time. 

I would say, in Mark Twain’s words, I have been narrow-minded for quite a long time. It is a trait I have been working against, slowly but surely chipping away at, but a mental habit twenty years in the making doesn’t disappear overnight. If life at TCNJ is a hammer and chisel, the Puerto Rico trip was dynamite. By experiencing Puerto Rican, and afro-Caribbean, culture for myself, from the people who live it, it has finally hit home. Seeing their lifestyle, visiting their homes and restaurants, I can relate. Tostones are not just knock off French fries (not that I ever thought that…) and vejigante masks are more than a tourism icon. After experiencing the power of the trip, I’ve realized what I’ve been avoiding at TCNJ. Throughout all my years, I have never visited the home town of my friends, ate a meal in their houses, or discussed their traditions. The cultural learning that took place in Puerto Rico can take place anywhere in the world. Within the the US especially, I am surrounded by rich cultural traditions. By taking an open, inquisitive mind, back to TCNJ and Bonner, I can connect with the human experience of my peers, appreciate their differences as strengths instead of unknowns, and recognize the family that I have.