Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Honduras through Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, which doubled as my STEP signature project. This study abroad experience centered on community development, and through it, I was able to participate in a variety of service learning projects, interact with children at the local schools, and see a glimpse of Honduran agriculture as well as their formal and non-formal education systems.
My learning experience in Honduras was eye opening to say the least. This was my first time visiting a developing country, and the sights that came along with that were overwhelming at times. I saw people-including children-living in unimaginable circumstances and dealing with the effects of extreme poverty every day. As part of my International Development minor, I have studied poverty and its effects in many classes during my time at Ohio State, but being in Honduras provided interactions with real people who were living it and a new perspective that a classroom could not provide. I learned about how poverty truly is a cycle that is incredibly difficult to break, and I was challenged to think in creative ways about how to face huge, community-wide issues with limited resources and still make a lasting impact. That being said, I also learned so much about myself and my passions from this experience. I was so excited about the work that we were doing in Honduras-even the smallest projects-and the impact that they made on communities that so desperately needed it. I learned that I am truly passionate about community development, and that I hope to pursue a career in that field, thinking creatively and planning programs to meet the needs that exist in many of the same ways, after graduation.
There are so many moments that led to this transformation of myself and the way that I see the world. One of these moments occurred at a program that we did at a local elementary school. As a group, we prepared a meal for the children Honduran style-in a huge pot over a fire in the backyard-and had the opportunity to serve the food we made to the kids at the school. We were told before completing this project that it had been quite some time since many of these children had a meal to eat, and that many of them were unsure when their next meal would come. With that knowledge, I watched as so many of these young children covered their plate of food with a napkin and took it home to share with their families. They were desperately hungry, but they knew that this plate of food might be the only food that anyone in their household could eat that day, and they took the opportunity to place the needs of others before themselves without a second thought.
This moment was met in stark contrast by another moment that I experienced upon landing at the airport back in the United States. As my study abroad group waited in line to get through customs, a woman was yelling at the TSA officer about how the line was too long, her phone was dying, and her plane was leaving soon. All I could think about was how she put her momentary needs above everyone else’s at the airport without a second thought, and how she was so unaware of the many privileges she had to even have a smart phone and access to an airplane that can take her anywhere in the world. Her reaction, when presented with a difficult situation, was the polar opposite of the reaction of those children who were 20-30 years younger than her.
I experienced some difficult things in Honduras. These included learning the history of a country that has experienced political and social unrest that have set its citizens up for failure rather than success, and hearing stories from real people who have dealt with devastating issues like starvation, deportation, disease, and abandonment. I was so honored at their openness to share their stories and humbled to learn how much I take for granted every day.
I was also amazed at the attitude of the Hondurans despite their circumstances. Their work ethic was unparalleled, they were optimistic and able to appreciate even the smallest joys, and they were incredibly innovative problem solvers that could always “make it work” with whatever they had. They were a true testament to me that your circumstances don’t have to define you, and that there is always something to be grateful for. Those lessons resonated deeply with me, and though I continue to experience some reverse culture shock, I’m so thankful that these lessons have been difficult to forget.
The people of Honduras taught me so much not only about my own privilege and the circumstances and material possessions that I have been blessed with, but also about loving others selflessly and putting their needs above my own. I am so thankful for their example and aspire to be as optimistic and others-centered as they are.
I was also fascinated to learn about various aspects of Honduran agriculture-including melon processing, sugar cane harvesting, cattle farming, and many more. This knowledge will be incredibly useful and will provide me with a unique perspective as I prepare for a future working with agricultural communities and development.
Finally, the projects that we completed, communities we observed, and people we interacted with in Honduras sparked a major passion for community development in me. I have changed my major multiple times in college, and though I know what many of my interests are in a broad sense, I have always felt unsure as to exactly what I hope to do when I graduate. This experience introduced me to career possibilities that I had not really previously considered, and caused me to think outside the box about how I can connect my future work to my passion for serving others. I am continuing to explore career possibilities in extension education and non-profit management that center on community development, and I’m thankful for my Honduras experience which provided me with the spark of excitement for that career field.
I highly recommend this study abroad to other Ohio State students. It is an incredibly fulfilling experience and an excellent opportunity to learn about poverty and privilege, community development and service learning, and to make some amazing friends in another part of the world that will last a lifetime.
Visit https://studyabroadhonduras2017.wordpress.com/ to see our group blog and to learn more about this incredible experience!
-Courtney Fulton