Having grown up in a home with important family bonds and immersing myself with the community of Iowa State University, leaving the United States for three months was a big deal. Leading up to this, I experienced nostalgia, anxiety and nervousness. The best way to describe my feelings is to compare it to waiting in line for a rollercoaster. This line, in my mind, is three hours long. There are certain times in the line where it no longer seems worth riding the rollercoaster. There are times in the line where the heat gets to you and you would rather get out for a glass of water. In this case, the rollercoaster seemed worth it to me.
On September 8th, around 10 P.M., I was halfway across the Atlantic Ocean. During my time in the air, I had time to process my experience leading up to the flight. The first experience was that of the rollercoaster line feeling I described. The second profound experience was Chicago's O'Haire International Airport. My time in the airport lasted from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. Within those 5 hours, I had seen the most diverse set of people in my life. After my loving parents left me at the security line, the feeling of self awareness was prominent. I was truly my own person in a very diverse crowd that represented a number of different beliefs. At this moment I got excited to experience the world around me.
