Over the course of eight days in England and Wales, I was able to explore and learn more about the equine industry in Europe as well as the culture and history pertaining to this part of the world. During this education abroad trip, my peers and I visited various equine facilities such as The National Stud and Elite Stallions. We also had the privilege to stop and appreciate important heritage sites like The Roman Baths and Stonehenge.
When I first went into this trip, I was very intimidated and nervous about having to discuss equines and the various equine related facilities we would be visiting because I had no background in horses and most of my peers did. I was afraid of feeling stupid and being “out of the loop” but, fortunately I was proven wrong. Not only did my peers gladly answer the never-ending questions I had about horses and the horse industry, but they treated me with kindness and respect. However, they were not the only people to share this friendliness with me. The numerous horse handlers, educators, waiters, bus drivers and tour guides were also always happy to share their knowledge and answer any question I had while on my education abroad trip. Therefore, I believe the greatest transformation I experienced during this trip was my understanding of inclusiveness and kindness across different cultures and I will be focusing on experiences that impacted this transformation throughout my blog. In my opinion, as Americans, we tend to be a little distant towards people we do not really know. This standoffish behavior is even more prevalent when we are interacting with people who do not look, think, or speak like us. While in England, I expected many people to act like this because this is what I was used to in the United States. But, like I stated previously, I was pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and warmth the people of England and Wales shared with me. Not only did their kindness make me more comfortable being in a foreign country, but it has given me confidence and reassurance that I can be successful traveling abroad in the future.
Abby Wood, Addie Anspaugh, Lauren Krause, and I doing the O-H-I-O in front of Stonehenge
Throughout my trip exploring England and Wales, I had some special experiences that were essential to my transformation. The experience that first comes to mind when thinking about my understanding of kindness and inclusiveness across cultures is when a few of my friends and I decided to go out to eat at a small winery in downtown London. We sat down and started reading the menus when we immediately realized that none of us were familiar with any of the food or wines being offered. After a few minutes of trying to discuss what each meal or wine consisted of amongst ourselves, our waiter soon came to the rescue and was able to help us determine the food we wanted and the types of wines we would like. He took his time (over fifteen minutes!) to make sure that we chose something we liked and even offered to let us try samples of some of the items. Our waiter could tell we were confused and tried his best to make sure we were comfortable with the items we chose and made certain that we had a great experience while at the restaurant. His willingness to take his time and ensure we enjoyed our visit is something that is rarely seen in America but a gesture that was greatly appreciated during this trip.
Another experience that assisted in my transformation, especially the transformation in my confidence, was exploring the city of Bath after hours. In America, we are commonly told that it is unsafe to go places after dark and to just stay home. Yet, in Bath, my peers and I learned that some of the best experiences happen at night. Furthermore, the people of Bath encouraged us to explore the city at night! Their encouragement and our exploration allowed us to experience a night that we will never forget! Discovering hole-in-the-wall pubs, having conversations with people in university, and dancing our hearts out at an American themed party allowed us to feel our most confident in an area unfamiliar to us. Not only were we able to build our self-assurance to navigate in a foreign country, but we were also able to meet new people and have great conversations about music, cultural differences, and even college!
A personal photo of The Bath Abbey which sits across from The Roman Baths.
A final experience that was a key factor in my transformation was interacting with and learning from Alison, a native of England and a close friend to one of my instructors. She traveled with my group for most of the trip, providing us with insights on the horse industry in England, cultural perspectives, and even advice on places to eat or visit. From the day Alison stepped on our coach, she was a source of warmth, kindness, and wisdom. Alison was always open to having conversations with us about whatever was on our minds, whether it be about horses or her son who was in college, she never denied our conversation. She definitely felt like a mother figure to some of us, easing our concerns about COVID-19 and talking through how her and her son felt about the situation, which gave us even more comfort knowing that she knew what we were going through. Although many of the people we met showed us kindness and generosity, Alison certainly stands out as someone who had a great impact on the transformation of my worldview.
The three experiences I described above have had a great impact on my life and my perspective of the world. Not only did these experiences have a great impact on my perspectives of inclusiveness and kindness across different cultures, but they also heavily impacted my life socially and professionally. Socially, the confidence that I have gained from attending this education abroad trip will not only allow me to explore more foreign countries, but it also gave me the self-assurance that I can successfully meet new friends and create relationships with people that are different from myself. Professionally, this venture abroad has created a passion within me to explore my career options outside of the United States and to start networking with companies across the globe. This trip has allowed me to truly open my eyes to the various cultures, places, and people that the world has to offer, and I will forever be grateful for this trip to England and Wales for showing me that.