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Making a Difference in Myself
By Mikayla Gallenberger
Before I first left for my trip, I didn’t
get along very well with my siblings and some of the kids at school. I
was the “smarty pants” and the “teacher’s pet”. I hated it!!! I wanted a
chance to start over, to see if I could change myself to fit others
eyes.
I left; ready to see the world, thinking about some advice a friend gave
me before I left, “Keep your mind open and relax.” I did just that, and
I found I fit in easier with the other ambassadors. I tried not to be
that bossy person people said I was. I’ll admit it; I always took
control of any situation. Looking back I know what I did was wrong.
I watched other people to see how they acted around others. Some were
confident and funny; others shy, but kind. I wanted to make an impact on
people, but not by pushing my ways on others.
One girl in particular caught my attention, and everybody else’s for
that matter, with her behavior. Let’s call her Jane. Jane was little bit
overweight, and she wore would be considered ‘un-cool’ clothes at my
school. Nobody really seemed to like her, and I will admit I had
difficulties with her too. She was very sensitive, and cried a lot,
which I later found out was because she was missing her new little
sister.
Jane was one of my roommates at our first hotel in Sydney, Australia.
She cried many times that first night, and none of us really knew what
to do. Our leaders helped, but she was still a handful.
She continued to get homesick, and to be ridiculed by several boys on
the trip. About half way through the trip I sat down with her and we
really talked. I told her more about my family. She told me about hers,
and we talked about introverts and extraverts. I told her I was an
extravert, and explained what that was. I asked her what she thought she
was. She said she thought she was an introvert, but she wanted to be
more like me. I found this rather honoring because back at school, no
one had ever said this before. I asked her what she thought she do to
become more of the kind of person she wanted to be, and she said; “I can
try to make friends, by being outgoing, but not nagging them.” I agreed
to this, and asked her if she wanted to try it on some of our fellow
ambassadors. She told me she would try.
Later that night I was with three other girls at this hotel. We were
just talking and then one of the girls started saying mean things about
Jane. I admit; I got mad. I talk them they had no right to be saying
that kind of stuff. I told them they shouldn’t talk behind others’
backs, and that they wouldn’t want anyone to do that to them. I then
reminded them why we were in Australia. People to People focuses on
finding similarities in people all over the country; and respecting
differences.
Before we can make a difference in others, shouldn’t we make a
difference in ourselves???
Just because Jane doesn’t have great social skills doesn’t mean we
should tease her. How are we supposed to respect cultures around the
world, when we can’t respect the different cultures within our own
country???
I apologized to the girls I had yelled at; but told them I felt their
actions went against everything we represented.
I began to think about what I had said; and what People to People really
was about. I know I can make a difference in this world, because with
the help of others, I have made a difference in myself. I now understand
what a small world it really is. I now know I can’t change everybody, as
I may not have changed those girls I yelled at. Now that I went with
People to People, I know more about myself than I ever could have
learned on summer vacation in Wisconsin! By learning about myself, my
strengths and my weaknesses, I have learned that the first attitude to
change, is your own.
The most heartwarming thing about my trip occurred after we arrived in
Green Bay airport; we were home. There was everyone!!! At midnight!!! I
greeted my parents, and we went down to get my luggage. Jane came up to
me and said two worlds that changed me. “Thank you”.
Everyone learns their table manners, please and than you, but this
simple thank you meant more to me than I can express. I gave her a hug;
and thanked her too; for helping me change.
I recommend People to People to everyone; because not only did we get to
see a bit of the world, we made new friends, we learned about the joys
of America, and we learned about ourselves. |