Ecstatic to have the chance to travel abroad

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August 9, 2012

Ecstatic to have the chance to travel abroad

Zak Aldridge Local voice From Around the Globe The Cooperstown Crier Thu Aug 09, 2012, 10:22 PM EDT

Hi, I’m Zak. Beginning now I will be one of your “Local Voices from Around the Globe” as I commence a 10-month adventure in Thailand on Rotary Exchange.

As a 16-year-old brimming with curiosity and privileged to be sponsored by Rotary International I am certain that this year will be nothing less than life changing. This is why I’m convinced of that. Thailand is another world entirely.

The allure of dripping jungles, pristine beaches and weather that would make the front page anywhere in this hemisphere gripped me early on in my application process. Yet, of course, Thailand has much more to offer than its physical features alone. In addition to the food and climate, I’m interested in the Buddhism that is a substantial aspect of their culture. I’ve always respected Buddhism as a spiritual practice and am thrilled to be traveling to a country where its societal impacts are vivid and its centuries-old temples are open to the intrigued individual.

Though I am nearly straining at the reins to leave, some I’ve spoken with don’t exactly share my enthusiasm. In telling people of my year ahead I’ve encountered considerable astonishment. “Why would you ever want to go there?” some people have said. Or simply, “Why would you want to go?” The answer isn’t complicated: I probably won’t find another opportunity to live immersed in a culture and in such an exotic location ever again. Unlike Europe, an adventure in Southeast Asia usually only happens once. This is the perfect time in one’s life to travel and learn, and I believe I’ve fully harnessed the opportunity of Rotary with my destination of Thailand.

Additionally, my time abroad will be a healthy sabbatical for me. Not only will I be traveling as an avid saxophonist and dancer, I’ll also be traveling as a twin. My brother Sam will be in India during the time I’m in Thailand. Twins can have a difficult time in a small setting like Milford and I think this year will be healthy for us both - to further our individuality and to establish a network of contacts that isn’t entirely mutual.

Mad as it may sound, I have no misgivings about leaving my home for a year. The gifts of youth exchange, the keen cultural perspective and the discovery of one’s self, can only be attained after the challenges of leaving home and of being immersed in a wholly foreign culture. I’m grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to returning home having lived one of the greatest years of my life.

Zak Aldridge is a junior at Milford Central School. To read more from him, visit eightabovetheequator.wordpress.com.