I write
this small collection of notes for a couple reasons, but first I admit that I
am neither a writer nor photographer, simply a restless soul. I started this blog most importantly because
of the troubling work it is to sort through an ever aging memory trying to
recreate real moments from misty shadows.
Second, considering that the amount of time I’m spending abroad, it
wouldn’t be nice leave my friends and family behind as I
seemingly disappear from the face of the world, since those are the people who shaped
me into who I am today. As an attempt to
show the gratefulness I have towards you, I’ll try to log my growth precisely
and honestly so none of you are frightened if I return a different person.
To
clarify what I’ll be doing in the next eleven months, I’ll begin with The
Rhyme—logistic plans of when and where.
I plan to be studying with Whitworth University at their Costa Rica
campus during the spring of 2013 (Costa Rica Campus). There I'll be taking classes in Spanish, international politics, biology, Core (a
worldview-based class), and learning at an internship while living with a host
family. During this time I hope to connect
the world and the classroom in addition to being completely tossed out of my
comfort-zone and immersed in my second language, Spanish.
The
following summer, I plan to be volunteering at the same campus in Costa Rica,
living on campus and volunteering with whatever work might need to be
done. I’m incredibly thankful for this
opportunity as it will not only save me insane amounts of money, but also will push
my limits of independence and cultural understanding.
In the
fall I plan (although won’t know my acceptance status with complete certainty until
February) to study in Valparaíso, Chile through a program called International
Student Exchange Program (ISEP). At the
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso I will be taking classes solely
in Spanish and hope to study Chilean politics, culture, and literature, with
perhaps a French class on the side (PUCV English Homepage). There I
will also be staying with a host family while learning the beautiful, rapid-fire
Chilean Spanish. This brings the entire
trip to eleven months, as I'll return for Christmas break of 2013. As far as
luggage is concerned, I'll be carrying all my belongings for eleven months in
a backpack and suitcase.
I
realize that three paragraphs of planned adventure may seem like bragging or
conceited privilege, so it feels necessary to include The Reason. My reason for travelling is not out of
selfishness, but an unreachable itch. It
seems I’ve clashed with the American version of “knowing.” In the U.S., the more facts (useful or not)
that we have stored in our heads is called “knowledge,” but often at the loss
of experience or realistic understanding.
At the loss of truly living. I
find my head nodding in agreement at the line by Puerto Rican rapper Calle 13 “No me regalen más libros porque no los
leo. Lo que he aprendido es porque lo
veo” (La Vuelta Al Mundo). This line captures a
frustration that has grown in me since entering the university, that what I
read in books is only a poor reflection of this globalizing, pulsing, breathing
world with which I am fascinated.
I’m not
leaving to go party on a tropical beach, nor am I a Captain America hoping to
save the world with romantic, misinformed zeal. I’m simply a curious youth who takes more out
of conversation and ambiguity than an online book of 300 pages. It’s one thing to have an open mind, but
another to have open arms. Opening one’s
mind is relatively safe, and often this “opening” is subject to a strict code
that dares not venture too far outside the box.
Opening one’s arms allows for discomfort, awkward situations, and
rejection. Opening arms is risky, but
genuine; “organic,” if you will.
Well,
I’m new to this blog thing and writing so much about myself makes me
uncomfortable. Before closing this entry
there’s one more thing that should be said.
I’m not a completed person, but rather one that’s being reshaped
daily. One of the most influential lines
I’ve found says, “The only thing I know is that I know nothing.” This phrase is a reminder that I write not
only for the reader, but for the writer as well. As I’m shaped by new cultures and experiences
this space will be crucial in understanding the daily newness. I welcome the unknown with arms spread wide,
and am grateful for this opportunity.
Lots of
love to those who read this far, I hope to write more vividly and have plenty of photos in future notes. Prayers and continued reading are
deeply appreciated.
-Austin Vander Wel
