By Rebecca Antwi ’14, Staff Writer

I hate planes. I really can’t stand my ears popping, the take off, the landing, and all that irrelevant waiting in between, but I found myself on a plane about six times this summer. How did I end up on the southern tip of Mexico hundreds of miles away from New Jersey? I applied for, and received, the Feinberg Grant. Using the grant money, I decided to go to Oaxaca (Wah-HAH-ka) Mexico to spend two weeks in complete cultural immersion.

Why Mexico?  I wanted to go somewhere where I could be surrounded by the Spanish culture, not only just learning a language, but a community’s way of life. With my background on the Immersion Committee at school I was already well-versed in the school’s approved programs and so I chose SOL Abroad to pursue my excursion.

The trip had a lot of interesting surprises. My host family was comprised of my 69 year old host mother, her 89 year old mother, her 40 year old grandson, many neighbors, and workers that were often around.  My group was comprised of about 15 students with ages ranging from 17 to 41, with the average age around 24. I was completely out of my comfort zone, I didn’t know anyone, and everyone had already been in the program for about two weeks and was acclimated to the schedule. However, by the end of my two week stay  I felt like I’d lived there for months, I knew a lot more Spanish, and I generally felt more capable.

The program was not easy, traveling alone was not easy, and the food poisoning (a.k.a Montezuma’s Revenge) was at times unbearable, but I would take the trip every time. I not only learned, but I experienced as well. Even though I love taking Spanish classes, to actually be a stitch in the seam of the Oaxacan life, if only for two weeks, was priceless. I encourage anyone and everyone wishing to go on a life-changing experience to apply for the Feinberg Grant, and am so incredibly grateful for my opportunity to go.