During my introductory class of Global Engagement, we had the opportunity to meet students from Universidad Católica de Salta, located in Argentina. I was in a group with three other female students, and before we started answering the question, one of them told me she was very nervous. I wasn’t nervous at that moment, but I could relate to her because every time I have to speak in English in public or with people that I don’t know, I feel intimidated.
I remember feeling very nervous during our first COIL Story Circle (the practice of certain intercultural skills, for example, the equity of voice, where your practice of listening to others) with the students from Egypt because it was the first time, and if I couldn’t say or understand something, I wouldn’t be able to switch languages. In contrast, I didn’t feel nervous during this COIL Story Circle because I knew that if we didn’t understand each other, we had the option to switch languages and speak in Spanish—which we did. But not because we didn’t know how to say something in English, but because it’s our common language, and the four of us felt more comfortable speaking in it.
The question we responded to was, When and how have you felt a sense of belonging? Naturally, they talked about when Argentina won the World Cup last December. They described how people they had never even seen before were celebrating together in the streets—crying, hugging, and sharing joy because of their love for football. They asked me how diverse my class was, and I told them it wasn’t that diverse, but that Wesleyan has a large population of international students—from Asia, South America, Europe, and Africa. They were very surprised because they don’t have that kind of diversity in their school.
I think I would love to study abroad in any place outside the U.S. and Venezuela, just for the experience of learning in a different educational system. I believe it would give me a better sense of humanity. I’ve learned—and am still learning—to be kinder and more sensitive here. I wasn’t like that in Venezuela; I didn’t really care about other people’s emotions, and generally speaking, I was always focused on myself. Moving to another country helped me become more aware of my vulnerabilities and develop empathy for others. I’m really enjoying this part of myself now. I must clarify that I’m still working on it. I’m trying to be more patient and more understanding of other people’s feelings.
Reference:
“Home &Raquo; UCASAL – Universidad Católica De Salta.” UCASAL – Universidad Católica De Salta, 9 May 2025, www.ucasal.edu.ar.
