Students recount their experiences, journey abroad

Jenny Horniman, For the Review

It is not uncommon for those who travel abroad to discover new things about other places and people that may challenge and reshape our perceptions about the identity of that culture.

However, for three Linfield students who went abroad last year, the experience revealed something else that people may not expect when going abroad, which is how they identify themselves.

The title of the presentation, “3 Minds, 3 Worlds, One Universe”, was meant to represent the journey of the three girls, the relationships that they have with South America, Mexico, and the U.S., and how they discovered that the only real identity that matters is that of humanity.

For Stephanie Sánchez, Lorena Álvarez, and Sandra García-Hernández, traveling to South America was an opportunity to discover more about their Latino roots as well as their current cultural identities.

The countries that they visited include Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.

Living in the U.S., people don’t think twice when someone says that they are Mexican American, however subconsciously most people then associate that person more strongly with Mexico, since that is the thing that sets them apart from other Americans.

Sandra García- Hernández said that made explaining their cultural identity slightly more complicated when traveling through South America, and made them consider their identity as Americans, not just Mexicans.

These girls had many experiences on this trip that they say have impacted the way they view the world.

Stephanie Sánchez said that the trip to the Amazon was one of her fondest memories because of the immersion into nature and a culture without the presence of modern technology, such as electricity.

The students were able to go to many historical sites on their travels such as Machu Picchu, an icon of ancient Incan civilization in Peru. They learned a lot about history and archeology, especially when in Peru with Linfield’s own anthropology professor, Dr. Tom Love.

Overall the students said that it was a life changing experience, and that they would recommend similar trips to any and all other students if they have the opportunity.