Crisleidy Veloz 

Professor Emma Ciervo 

English 160

September 8, 2020

 

My Aspiration in Life

 

Ever since I was young I loved traveling to different places, learning about different cultures, and seeing what the world had to offer me. Before I found Travel for Teens I was in the middle of applying to another summer program, which was cancelled last minute and I had to go through the process of applying again. Putney took me step by step; whenever I had a question I called and every question was answered. There was just one problem, I could not afford the entire trip alone and of course, Putney gave me the opportunity to receive a scholarship for the trip.

On my last few days leading up to my trip, I began to pack and realized that I was really going to be across the world in less than a week. What kept me calm was that I was not going alone, I was going with my best friend and I was going to meet my counselors in Bali as well. Before my flight, I began getting nervous and started to panic, but I knew everything was going to turn out fine. It was the first time I traveled without any family, I was on my own. I was on my way to meet interesting people I was going to spend three weeks of my summer with and I did not realize that they would become my family as well. I applied to the Bali program in order to travel the world, meet different people, and learn about the culture. But when I actually got to Bali, I was able to do so much more. I connected with Balienese, my counselors, and all of my TFT friends that I got to know better along this amazing journey. 

Then there I was standing in the middle of the airport with both of my suitcases in hand, processing that I was now thirty-six hours away from home; from my family. I looked at the signs to find my way into this unknown world that had been opened to me, but all of them had a language I had not yet learned. Even though I came from a different environment, on our first full day in Bali we were roaming the streets meeting new people and trying new things as if we had been there before. I never felt this amazing feeling of being out of my comfort zone, yet so comfortable and free. After a couple days in Bali I felt as if I had known everyone for years; we all connected so quickly. Everyone was in routine, every morning we all ordered our breakfasts, ate, and got ready for the day. It felt like we were all used to the environment; this place and the people surrounding us made it feel like home instead of a place we were visiting. 

At the beginning, I was a bit terrified with what surprises were going to be thrown at me, but my TFT family made me feel so secure and so loved that those fears went away. During the trip there were a couple of ups and downs, but everyone – especially our counselors – were so calm and knew how to handle every situation the best way possible. An example was when one of our members got sick and had to be kept in the hospital for a little while. Our counselors went straight to the emergency room to make sure everything turned out okay, then they sat the rest of us down and told us what was going on and how everything was going to proceed. Everyone was alert and despite the surprises that we faced, we all still managed to have an incredible time. 

The highlight of my trip was being able to have the opportunity to help Balinese children speak English. It was the most amazing feeling when the kids understood what we were teaching, they were all so smart, and sometimes they would teach us as well. Just seeing the children’s faces when we were leaving was so sad, only after four days of teaching everyone was so emotional. When we were all saying goodbye to each other with big hugs one girl just stood in front of me, covered her eyes, and began to cry. When she started to cry, I joined her because I was just as sad about leaving as she was. At that moment was when I realized how much I did not want to leave them nor Bali. It was an experience I would never forget. 

On our last few days we did a lot of traveling by ourselves, which really gave me the feeling that I was not just a tourist; I actually knew how to get around and I even learned a little bit of the Indonesian language. Going to stores in Bali is not like anywhere else, if you think something is too expensive for its value then you were able to speak to the owner and bargain. Staying in Pantai Lovina, near the beach and many stores was when we were able to use our bargaining skills. I stopped in front of a little space where two women were sitting making wooden sculptures, they looked up at me, stood up, and introduced themselves. They asked me what my name was and where I was from in English. I responded “Nama saya Crisleidy and saya dari the United States”, both of their eyes widened in surprise. I loved being able to know a little of their language because it made me feel a part of their culture. Another highlight was whenever I was walking the streets of Bali, people would stop me and ask me if I was Balienese because I had their same skin tone; it made me feel so special that they believed I was from there. Some people would even comment on my curly hair. One time I was sitting in a restaurant and a man came up to me and began touching my hair, at first I was a bit freaked out, but then he told me how my hair is so different from theirs and asked if I could take a picture with him. We took the picture and he thanked me, but I told him that I was the one thankful for his kind words. Being in Bali made me realize how genuinely happy, and friendly they all were. 

In Bali everything is different: the food, the people, the energy, the environment, the air, the water, the culture. Having been in a place so different with no expectations and no idea of what I was going to embark on was the best. When I was over there all I kept thinking about was how I never would have thought I’d be sixteen years old already traveling the world. But there I was in Bali, being exposed to a variety of religions and cultures. I loved everything about Bali and my TFT family, if there was one thing I could change it would be not having to say goodbye.

Coming back home was hard, a couple hours before I was just in Bali singing Karaoke with my friends that I made during this trip. The first week I would be asleep while everyone was working and awake while everyone was asleep due to the different time zones. It was hard adjusting to my life back in the city, there seemed to be more buildings than I remember, more cars instead of the motorbikes which was used in Bali, and even more street noise at 4:27 a.m. than three weeks ago. It felt as if I disappeared and came back to an unknown place.

 

I am a New York City girl. I have lived in New York all of my life. I have traveled on the subway in four of the five boroughs; I have walked along 34th Street more times than I can count and have even been on a boat around Manhattan. After being in Bali I realized I did not pay much attention to my birthplace and I wanted to expand my horizons. If I were asked the question “How did the trip to Asia affect your life?”, my answer would not have a limit. After spending three weeks in Asia and coming back home, it gave me motivation to spend time learning about the place I live in and take advantage of the resources I have right now. 

After a few weeks getting settled and comfortable again, I began focusing on school because this was the year that was going to count! I tried to prepare myself for what senior year had to offer me, or what I had to offer it. I applied to jobs as a teaching assistant because I realized how much I love to help others learn (something I learned in Bali). I was hired and worked four days a week at the Boys and Girls club of New York. Not only did I enjoy helping the children, I also appreciated listening to the stories they loved telling me. Their imagination went far beyond what I would imagine. 

Growing up in the Bronx, there is a lot of ethnic diversity but not socio-economic diversity. I’m attracted to traveling because it’s all about diversity and meeting new people when studying abroad. At the same time, I can share my culture with the students I plan on meeting on this trip. This student body will allow me to feel comfortable and, at the same time, challenge me socially by making me expand my awareness and perspectives, invaluable attributes for an American in the 21st century. One reason why New Paltz is so important to me is because I became fond of the study abroad opportunities it offers (change). It gave me a feel of how I would want to live out (change) my college experience. Studying abroad will expand my perspective by meeting people from different backgrounds and also by traveling. As a little kid, I loved to travel to different places and learn about different cultures. New Paltz’s extensive study-abroad program locations really interest me, with programs that vary from Europe to China  and even Australia. By attending New Paltz, all of these locations for study are in the palms of my hands. Meeting new people, seeing new places, and learning about traditions, while studying is an experience that would fulfill my dreams. Traveling to Indonesia opened my eyes in ways that I would never imagine and I look forward to seeking this opportunity in other cultures and traditions. 

While the subways have served me well for the past 17 years and have allowed me to travel around town, I know that allowing me to travel through history, through literature, and even around the world is an incredible opportunity. I look forward to starting the voyage.