A little background information is necessary to best understand my respect for Kelly. We met at camp when we were about 11 years old. Neither of us went to the same school and while Kelly was very athletic, I was about as girly as you could get. Regardless, she became a great friend and we've been in touch ever since.
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This photo of Kelly and me was taken in Feb. 2010 when we volunteered at a Scottsdale Bible Church camp for Club 56 students. Although the weekend retreat was held at a different location, it was with the same organization that enabled us to meet nine years before.
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I distinctly remember Kelly starting high school at Veritas Preparatory Academy, a charter school in Phoenix. While comparing our class schedules, she told me she was now forced to learn Latin. I could not figure out why they'd made that historical language necessary when Spanish was and is so prevalent in Arizona. That aside, Kelly picked it up like a champ. I remember being in conversations and she'd randomly tell me the Latin root for a particular word... A few years later, she had the opportunity to learn Spanish. Even though I'd been learning the language for years, Kelly seemed able to pick up grammar like a professional. She was quickly speaking better than me.
Fast forward a few years and the 21-year-old Arizona State University student can speak English, Spanish, Tajik and Farsi.
Kelly's ability to learn a language is like no one I've known before. I am blown away by her desire to pursue study and work abroad experiences, while still working towards obtaining her undergraduate degree within the Barrett Honors College.
Please continue to read on for a short interview with Kelly about her experiences traveling and working in foreign countries.
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SM: Why are you currently in Argentina?
KR: I am interning for the U.S. Department of State. I work in the public affairs section, Cultural Affairs Office. I plan events, coordinate cultural outreach programs, and sometimes act as the face of the embassy when we have a cultural ambassador coming to visit us.
SM: Where else have you traveled for work/school-related purposes?
KR: In the summer of 2010, I traveled to León, Spain and studied Spanish culture and linguistics; in the summer of 2011, I lived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and studied Tajik and Farsi- two Persian languages.
SM: How have you adapted to culture shock each time you've moved somewhere new?
KR: I don’t think that culture shock has ever really hit me hard. I guess when I have gone to new places, I have just been of the mindset that I better not expect anything to be “normal”- or at least what I would deem as such. Going into a trip like that has seemed to help me out a lot. I think that goes along with the whole “don’t be an ugly American” ethnocentricity thing; don’t expect that a foreign country is going to offer you everything you have at home- it’s not going to. I guess the thing I miss the most when I’m away, is the endless supply of ice and big glasses that we have in the states. I know- it’s weird.
SM: Do you prefer to live in foreign countries or the United States?
KR: I think I would prefer to live in the U.S. but have the ability to travel often. Having a consistent base to call home and then go do TDY (temporary duty) assignments would be great.
SM: Why do you have a passion for travel, foreign languages, cultures, etc?
KR: I love hearing someone speak and being able to figure out where they are from based on their accent. I guess that is where my love of linguistics comes in. But I love new challenges and adventures, there is so much to see and experience in this world; that’s the traveling part. I think it’s a sign of respect to go to a foreign country and speak their language. I can’t even imagine expecting someone to speak English when I’m not in an English-speaking country. Additionally, if you speak the language of a certain culture you will most certainly get a better perspective of what life is really like there. I don’t want a “surface” experience, I want to dig deeper than that. So, that’s probably a long winded answer as to why I love travel, foreign languages, and cultures. I could probably talk about this forever though.
SM: Has your family supported your past & current travels?
KR: Absolutely, 100 percent. They have certainly missed me while I’ve been away, but they are so excited to hear from me about my new experiences and see pictures. They always want to see pictures.
SM: Have you celebrated any holidays abroad? Please compare your Easter experiences in Argentina vs. the U.S.
KR: I just celebrated Easter down here in Argentina. It was quite a different experience for me. Back home, we all go to church as a family and then have a huge party for the rest of the day and into the evening. So, since I’m not with my family and I don’t really have a “family” down here, it’s been a bit different. I spent the 4th of July in Spain in 2010 and that was fun. We went to the beach, stuck a couple of little American flags in the sand and sang the National Anthem. There’s something to be said for having national pride, but celebrating in a respectful way- I hope we came out on the respectful side.
SM: Please explain how you've been able to take a few semesters off to study/work abroad- your scholarships, Barrett, etc.
KR: Financially speaking, I have been able to do these trips because my grandmother started a college fund for me when I was born, and then I got a scholarship to go to ASU that has pretty much covered all of my expenses; however, I have worked throughout my entire time in college and have saved money as well. Academically, I haven’t really taken a lot of “fun” classes. I have stuck to the classes that I need to take for my major and certificate. So with that, I have some time that I can play with a little bit. While I am not doing this current internship for credit, I could, but that just means paying more money for credits I really don’t even need.
SM: What's been your favorite memory abroad?
KR: That’s a really tough question; I have loved different aspects of my times abroad. I guess I can give you my favorites of my different trips though. Spain 2010 was definitely being there when they won the World Cup for the first time. I didn’t really get to see what happened after the last whistle blew for the game to be over, but I did get to spend the night celebrating with the Spaniards. They love to get into fountains when they celebrate- I said, “When in Rome…”. In Tajikistan, it wasn’t a particular event, per se, but the whole experience of going from being a part of the majority in every way to being the minority in every way. I spent a little over a month in the 98 percent Muslim country of Tajikistan during Ramadan. That means no water, no food, nothing can enter your mouth from sun-up to sun-down. I really loved that experience of being completely out of my element from the inside out.
SM: Would you encourage others travel?
KR: Absolutely. No doubt about that. It certainly is not cheap; however, do whatever you can to travel abroad. And when you do it, no matter what country you go to, do not spend all of your time with your study abroad group. Go talk to other people, get the local feel, you’ll waste your time and money if you stay within the security of your own group. I think that traveling abroad is something that everyone should do to experience something other than their own culture. But do it with an open mind and don’t be so quick to always say “Well, we do it this way or that way… and it’s the right way”. Appreciate the differences in the world- it’d be a boring place if we all ate, spoke, and acted the same.
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