I would like to start by sharing the fact that while I was in college, I always wanted to have an opportunity like this, but I thought it was impossible and now I can not be more than grateful to be here.
I think that leaving the place where you were raised to see the way other people live and think, is something important in anyone’s life because it opens your eyes to see how big the world is and how small we are and the great impact we could make in others lives if we propose it. It allows you to have different perspectives and discover more and more of who you are and what you want for your life, it allows you to leave your bubble to discover new things, create memories and grow to become what you want to be.
The most exciting thing for me when I arrived, was to know the snow and discover that one snowflake has a perfect shape and is different from the other. I thought that they were just tiny ice balls and that their shape in drawings was a simple way to represent them. I was surprised to see how they really are and I enjoyed sliding on the snow and learning to ski, although, I confess that I suffered a bit with that experience.
The first 5 months I was living with a couple of 40 years of marriage, and it was beautiful to know their way to live and have the opportunity to meet their grandchildren and share with their family. With them, I went camping on Memorial Day, it was the first time I was in a trailer, it was always like a dream to me because there are none of those in Colombia. I loved camping in the woods, near a lake, I loved the campfire and seeing animals in freedom. Oh!!! Speaking of that, I cannot forget how I enjoyed knowing the deer and see them right in my window!
Now, I am living with a new family with a young couple and two girls that have filled me with more energy and joy. I enjoy teaching them Spanish with my stuffed sloth bear that only speaks my language!
Having the opportunity to work and explore more my profession in a company in the United States is very enriching, I have the opportunity to learn from different areas of the company and work on projects that help me put the theory into practice, while can learn a new culture and ways of working that is different to the one I’m used to.
My bosses are people who understand the exchange program and who have tried to teach me new things with respect and kindness, answering questions and teaching me very common phrases like “piece of cake “. When I hear this for the very first time, I thought they were going to bring me a piece of cake without a reason (lol).
I thank CETUSA for supporting me in this experience to get out of my comfort zone to live a whole new experience and learn new things, thank you for watching me every month, I am excited about what is coming in the summer and for the rest of the year, I know that there is still much to discover and live, I wish that everyone has opportunities like this one that helps and contribute to our personal growth and society´s development, by sharing our experience with others and our cultures.
Intern: Sara E. Moreno Herrera, Bogota-Colombia – 2019 Category: The Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics, and Industrial Occupations