I didn’t expect to experience

by Anastacia Sunnelal (Trinidad and Tobago)

A leap into the unknown USA

The summer of 2019 was one of the most adventurous and unforgettable experiences of my life. It was 4:00 a.m. when we were sitting in the Piarco International Airport awaiting our flight number call so we can board the plane to America. My fellow Youth Ambassadors and I were filled with excitement because it would have been the first time we all boarded a plane. We talked non-stop about the various activities and culture we would like to be educated about while abroad in the process of getting to know each other. We all sat next to one another and we could not help but talk throughout the 5-hour flight. From our departure at Piarco International Airport, we landed at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey. We had only 30 minutes to reach for the other side of the airport, it was a struggle for us to run with our luggage around the densely populated and large airport. We were all amazed by the variety of food and beverages that are served in one store and especially how affordable everything was. While boarding our second flight to reach our final destination which was Bradley International Airport where we boarded a bus and took a two-hour drive to Vermont. Along the way, we meet with the Eastern Caribbean group. Throughout the two hours, we interacted and started to educate others about our culture. We arrived in Vermont at 8:00 p.m. and we were all placed in groups are we shared dorm rooms. The next day Guyana, Jamaica and Suriname groups joined us. We were amazed that Surinamese spoke Dutch and it was fascinating because they were teaching us basic words throughout the course of the three-week exchange. We had a lot of team-building exercises and informative information about the culture and history of the different states we will be going to. One of our team-building exercises includes building a raft from basic materials which we did. This activity was held in New Hampshire by a lake. The goal was to build a stable raft that can float till the finish line without falling apart, this game taught us critical thinking as well as teamwork. As the days go by, it was time for us to go into groups of three and I was lucky to be in the group that was going Virginia and the others were going Oklahoma and Alabama. We took flights to reach in Virginia Charlottesville. While we stayed in Virginia our meeting point was the Center of Politics at the University of Virginia for a total of 10 days. We all resided with our individual host families that we would return to when all contact hours would close for the day, where we can learn more about their culture and the daily American life as a teenager. My host mom had her own adventures for us that was preplanned and she was most excited for my arrival to accomplish them. During the 10 days, we had a tour of the Monticello and Montpelier, the homes of where the 3rd and 4th President of the United States of America homes. We visited high schools, nature sites and we did a lot of volunteerism. Everyday lunch was a surprise on where they took us because all the food had a different flavor and experience with it. One of the most exciting trips we had was the visit to Luray Caverns. It was one of the best experiences, walking deeper and deeper into the earth and watching the beautiful gifts that the earth had to offer. Throughout my experience, I gainI'd more love and pride for my country and I am very grateful for what my country has to offer me and also I was fortunate to learn about other countries with their various cultures. I also increased my network by building friendships. It also taught me to become an advocate and to enhance my team-building skills, communication skills, critical thinking skills, and analytical skills. This experience helped me to develop my character and I didn’t expect that this program would have had such an impact on me.