It has been a while... Since our last update many things happened;Cohort 2014-2016 can now officially call itself EMTM Alumni, Cohort 2015-2017 is looking forward with bright eyes to gain professional experience and unravel the facinating world of tourism, and we must welcome our Cohort 2016-2018 who is now maturing its bond of friendship and eagerly waits to reunite in Ljubljana to kick off the second semester. Our EMTM family grows on and on and on, until even Trump can't ignore us any longer.
As an introduction to the newly born EMTM cohort, our friend Lauren - Canadian with Hong Kongese and Japanese roots- wrote a short reflection on the start of her EMTM experience in Denmark. You can also folow her blog 'Travel & Muse': https://travelandmuse.com/ Almost 5 months ago, I arrived at Copenhagen airport, sleepy-eyed and jet-lagged from a long flight from Vancouver. I didn’t know a lot about my classmates at that point, but our brief exchanges on Facebook showed me that they’re keen travelers, curious about cultures, and open-minded. Iceland from Lauren Chan on Vimeo.
Lauren and her EMTM classmates during fall break in Iceland
I have to admit being nervous and a little bit intimidated because my classmates had backgrounds that made my experiences pale in comparison. They had seen so many parts of the world that I have only dreamed about. It was the first time I was surrounded by people who have traveled as much and more than I have. It was the first time that saying I speak three languages was normal. They spoke 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 languages. Leading up to my flight I distinctly remember the anxious feeling filling head/heart that made me wonder ‘do I belong here?’
But it’s crazy HOW crazy that thought seems now. When I finally met my classmates, I instantly felt at ease. I was humbled by everyone’s kindness. I realized I was going to be surrounded by people who cared about the value of being abroad and about cultural exchanges in the same way I did.
There’s a special connection you make with people you grow up with. There’s a special connection you make with people who share the same interests with you because you come together for that one thing. There’s a special connection with people you meet when you’re traveling because you share the same sense of wonder about a certain place. Which just goes to show that a myriad of people enter, leave, or stay in different stages of your life.
There’s a special connection I’ve created with the group of students that’s unique and different than any other kind of connection I’ve made before in my life. These relationships have formed a friendship that’s hard to describe, but for the sake of finding a word, they are/have become, family. Sooooooo cheesy right? But I love them and I know I would do anything to help them and see them succeed.
I was randomly placed in an apartment with two girls before coming to Denmark, one from France and the other from Taiwan. Over these past months, I’ve come to love and care about so deeply about them. I’m searching for the right words to describe my gratefulness for every time and way they’ve helped me. They were the best swimming partners! But beyond that, they were warm smiles to come home to, and they were always selfless and thoughtful.
In general, this year has been a year of learning. It’s been discovering ideas that make me stay up and wake up early. This year has been humbling as I realize how little I know about the world. Complexity, diversity, and interdependencies have seemed to be words that have seemed to define my master’s so far.
It’s been a semester of frustration, trying to react and act in a different style of learning. But it has also been a reminder that the different approaches should be celebrated – as with cultures. This semester has been a process of unlearning, too, which is more difficult. It’s humbling realizing you’re wrong, or that your perspective of something was misguided by bias.
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