Backpacks, Borders, and Broadening Perspectives

By Gowri Abhinanda

Like many students who have embarked on study abroad, I was fundamentally changed by my experience. After attending a human rights-based study abroad program through the School For International Training last Fall, where I was able to travel to Nepal, Jordan and Chile, I came to the realization that I prefer living my life out of 60-liter backpacks and lose itineraries.

Beyond this impulse to be a “traveler,” I realized, more importantly, that the reason I valued my experience so dearly was that I had the opportunity to immerse fully in cultures different from my own through the adoption of customs, intense people-watching and engaging directly with the community through interviews with advocates, government officials and individuals impacted by their policies.

I felt my worldview expand with every conversation, and I grasped more intimately that while we may be divided geographically, culturally, or by language, we are united by the human condition, similar problems and the desire for betterment.

We live in a world rife with division, but we have the unique opportunity through MEJO 584: International Projects, which allows journalism students like myself to embark on a week-long in-depth investigative reporting stint in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to share powerful stories with a broader audience to challenge our conceptions. Traveling is not necessary to broaden perspectives, but having the opportunity to fully immerse helps!

I am excited to embark on another journey that will undoubtedly challenge me to critically analyze my current worldview of the Global South, for example. I am also grateful for the opportunity to utilize my privilege as a student to gain a glimpse into the complex issues Argentinians face to amplify the voices of community members and foster more understanding. And I’m excited to experience the beauty and experience Buenos Aires has to offer!