By As of late, I have been fascinated with the idea of story. Perhaps this is why learning so fully captures my attention. As far as I can tell, you, my reader, and I, along with anyone that has ever been, is now and ever will be in this world are all a part of a gastronomically humongous story. Given the vast numbers of people involved in this story, it would be impossible to understand and know every facet of it. That is why, for now, I will try to understand bits and pieces of it through studying and learning. I will also attempt to understand the stories of my friends, and, for the first time, I wish to truly grasp my own story.
It is for those reasons that I have found that learning about Southeast Asia has truly effected me in such a way that I believe I am beginning to understand the global story in new ways. However, I am an experiential learner; to know someone’s story means to meet them in their context. If I want to know the story of a devout Thai Buddhist, I must meet one. If I want to understand the effects of colonialism on Malaysia, I must go there and ask questions. If I want to know why Filipinos are some of the most friendly people that I have ever met, I need to go and explore their country and their customs. All of this in order to understand a story.
I am excited to travel in close quarters with my SSU friends; undoubtedly, this will include learning much more than I have ever wanted to know about bodily systems and the like. However, the key here is that we will build relationship that will go beyond anything superficial, (high-stress, close-quartered situations will do that to you.) Together, this Southeast Asia 2009 group will share an experience that no other group has; together we will work through stress and shock; together we will write our story.
I also look at this trip to Asia as an opportunity to expand my personal story. I will be changed by what I learn in Asia. I will be changed by the stories of others. On this trip – in everyday life, really – the people around us help us to write our stories. So it is in this that I know that the stories of my friends and the friends that I have yet to make are intertwined in such a way that I have the privilege of having each of you help me write my story. For that, I say thank you.