by Adaeze Ashley Nnabue

Simply stepping into an airport intoxicates me. Many people hate traveling, but I absolutely love it. A thrill of joy resonates through me as I go through security and anticipate the flight. During my senior year, I have been blessed to travel to Nigeria and Spain. Each journey invited me to think differently, not solely due to a difference in environment, but purpose. I visited Nigeria to reunite with extended family members as well as to develop a stronger appreciation for my culture. It had been six years since I had gone there and it was easily one of my most memorable trips. The Nigerian lifestyle varies heavily from that of America because there is stronger sense of familial ties which I also noticed in Spain.

My trip to Spain, less than two months after returning from Nigeria, occurred as part of the Spanish Exchange Program at Sherwood. I had a chance to live with a native Spaniard student, Mar. This trip was significant in its own way because it was my first time traveling without my family. Although there was adult supervision, the independence I had was exhilarating. It opened my eyes to my oncoming trip to college where I will also live my daily life without my parents by my side.

Entering these new environments with their own unique cultures amazes me because each day individuals live with such a confined viewpoint on life due to their restricted exposure. Now, I am even more eager to travel and learn more about new cultures. As I depart for college, I hope to continue my journey by studying abroad. Doing this will expand my perspective on life further as well as provide me with a positive, necessary revelation that will help me grow into the successful doctor that I aspire to become.