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Travel: let go of preconceived notions, be open to the world
Raney Wilson '19

Saint Mary's Raney Wilson '19 shares her perspective on travel following her experience at the Young Women's Leadership Summit in the Dominican Republic during the summer of 2017.

To be honest, the trip to the Dominican Republic wasn't at all what I expected it to be. I wasn't really close to any of the girls going, I didn't know Ms. Jackson, and I had no idea what to expect from the culture or the activities planned despite the multiple informational meetings we had prior to the trip.

The first couple of days, I had a hard time staying present and enjoying the beauty around me because of my anxiety about being in a new place. The Dominican was so different from what I knew and what I was comfortable with. I believe I had my breakthrough on the long and windy Guagua ride to Samana. I was hit like a bus with a nasty bout of motion sickness, and was sent to the front of our bus to sit in my shame and nausea with our bus driver Fernando and our tour guide Krissie. I sat there gazing at the foreign signs and listening to Fernando and Krissie chat in Spanish, and I had a moment of clarity. Though consciously I had known that there was more to the world than American culture, I never truly experienced what it was like to be immersed in another civilization; one with different values, traditions, and beliefs than my own. I learned to accept Dominican culture as something different, something to be okay with, and something that I had absolutely no responsibility to change or judge just because it was unlike what I knew.

This mindset followed me throughout my time in the DR. As we visited non-profits run by locals and met new people, I noticed that I was more open-minded and relaxed. The biggest challenge for me was visiting a community on the outskirts of Santo Domingo called a Baté. I felt guilty and out of place because of my obvious American wealth, but every person we encountered was accepting of us, despite our differences. We made jewelry, danced, and talked with other teenage girls. They were some of the most kind, beautiful, and radiant people I had ever met, and still today they inspire me to be a more open person.

So, speaking to every girl at Saint Mary's, you will not regret going to the Dominican Republic. The laughs and one of a kind experiences you will have are irreplaceable. Even if you don't take the opportunity to go on this trip with Saint Mary's, travel anyways. Let your preconceived notions fall, be open to the world around you. It is truly a gift to live on such a magnificent planet with so many diverse cultures, so take advantage of it.