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You’re Going to Cambodia! How Does it Feel? — Part 2
As many of you know, Global Explorers was awarded the fortunate opportunity to allow thirty students the chance of a lifetime to travel to Cambodia this June thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of State. A whopping 298 incredible students applied from across the nation in hopes that they would be able to take part in this immersive adventure. After months of preparation, application madness, lengthy interviews and the grueling process of having to choose a limited number of participants, Jordy was finally ready to inform the lucky thirty students that they had been selected to take part in the American Youth Leadership Program. As you can imagine, the student’s elation was overwhelming!
To launch our first series of student blogs, Jordy offered the AYLP team the chance to write an entry, if they so desired. The question – a seemingly simple one: What does it feel like to be chosen to participate in the American Youth Leadership Program to Cambodia? The response – some exceedingly vivid descriptions that only the happiest of students could have concocted. Earlier this week we put up the first part of the student blog series with entries from two of our awesome AYLP participants. Here are another two excellent entries that we had to share with you:
When I found out I was chosen, I was as giddy as Charlie in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I had a world of pleasures and delights before me: Charlie had forests of licorice and gumdrops, and I would see forests of exotic animals and haunting temples. Charlie met the Oompa Loompas, and I would meet people of a vastly different world. I would gorge myself on the delights of the Cambodian culture.
Then I thought. I was more like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. I would go to a new and unexpected place I knew nothing about, and I would fall in love with everything about it, just as Dorothy did. Then, I would come back home. But instead of letting my experience drift into the past, I would learn to appreciate my own world in conjunction with the Cambodian world, just as Dorothy did with her home and with Oz. I would come back and never forget.
Then I thought some more.
Now, this isn’t the story of Charlie or Dorothy—this is my story. I was chosen to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey, and I have a chance to make possible the impossible. A world of opportunity has opened in front of me. I will go, and I will learn to love Cambodia as a whole, every ounce of good and bad and wonderful. I will learn how to make a difference. My camera is rolling. I’m going to Cambodia, and I couldn’t be happier.
- Taryn MacKinney, AYLP Team Member
Hello everyone my name is Yesenia Sierra, I live in Houston Texas and I am currently in 10th grade. When I first applied to participate in Global Explorers to go to Cambodia I really didn't expect to get accepted. I had faith indeed but I'm the kind of person who really never achieves much. When I did the application and filled out all the paper work I crossed my fingers and hoped the best. When I received the message that I got accepted to move to the phone interviews I screamed my feet off the ground. I felt very lucky, I had more confidence in myself and when I finally got told that I actually got accepted I couldn't believe it. I feel very grateful and I want to let everyone here know that if you have a goal then go for it. When you set something to your mind you will achieve it. Getting accepted to this program has been the greatest opportunity I have received and I feel very happy, excited, and very thrilled. I also hope that in this expedition I learn more and also learn how to communicate with others.
- Yesenia Sierra, AYLP Team Member
