Katrina Cox | Introduction
I remember how my hands were shaking as I opened up the letter. I remember the thoughts that went rushing through my mind--daydreams of how my time had come, and I finally had a chance to prove to everyone that I was someone.
At the young age of sixteen years old, I received a letter from a representatitive of the United States of America, introducing me to a program that has become known as "People to People: Student Ambassadors." Based on the ideas of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's belief of international peace, I had received an invitation to represent my country and the entire state of Nevada. Someone, somewhere, had nominated me to be a student ambassador and representative of the United States of America. I received the letter late in the year of 2004; and in June of 2005 I would board a plane along with forty-and-some other teenagers from across the nation to go to Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia to live their cultures and promote democracy.
The process of preparing for the journey was long and strenuous. Weekly meetings were held, and I had to do X Amount of research on Fijian, Kiwi, and Aussie culture--ethnicity, religion, current events, sports, likes, weather, dislikes, etc--and prove that I was worthy of being sent over. I had to fundraise my plane tickets, which were anything but cheap (total of around $6k). But the day when I checked in at McCarren International Airport and met together with my delegation leader...it was all worth it. Saying goodbye to my family was anything but easy, as that was my first time leaving the country and I was to be utterly seperated from them, but I remember the pride I held inside my heart. I remember thinking just how unique of an opportunity I had been given and how I meant to enjoy it to the fullest.
We flew first to the air terminal in Los Angeles, California and then boarded a Red-Eye flight to Sigatoka, Fiji. The flight was a VERY long fourteen-hour venture, and due to both my nerves and inability to get comfortable in the upright seats, sleep did not befall my eyelids. Fourteen hours really gives way for deep introspection. I thought about the fact that I would be crossing the International Dateline in X-Amount of hours. I thought about how I would be losing a day traveling and then gaining it again when returning to the USA.
We were greeted with a very warm welcome at the Fijian Airport at the early hour of 3am. There was a group of men wearing flowered necklaces, strumming guitars and singing their hello to us. We met up with a native who was to be a delegation leader in that country, and he immediately greeted us with the native word, "Bula!" He taught us a little about their customs, their languages, and their history. Fiji was once the Canibal Islands, and my fellow ambassadors and I were more than intrigued to hear it all. I fell in love with the island of Fiji, and I was minorly bereft to leave its paradasical glory.
New Zealand was cold and wet with the highest temperature being eight degrees Celcius. I stayed with a famiy, the Clarke family, and attended a public all-girls high school with the eldest daughter. I was excited to attend her English class and utterly shocked when the teacher marked my grade down when I expressed a negative opinion of lowering the drinking age.
Australia was a bit warmer, but the company wasn't as friendly as the previous two islands. Most Aussies weren't the nicest when they discovered Americans were in their midsts. But, I also met some of the friendliest natives. I was able to go inside the Sydney Opera House and learn about its architectural structures and accoustics. I was able to get on a yacht and sail out to Tituva Island -- the island where "Scooby Doo: Mystery Island" was filmed.
Returning to the United States was heart-wrenching. Many of the other teenagers I traveled with were equally heartbroken at the notion. We had been away from our families for three weeks, but yet it had seemed more like three days. We all had matured and grown up while abroad. We had all experienced the journey of a lifetime.
At the young age of sixteen years old, I received a letter from a representatitive of the United States of America, introducing me to a program that has become known as "People to People: Student Ambassadors." Based on the ideas of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's belief of international peace, I had received an invitation to represent my country and the entire state of Nevada. Someone, somewhere, had nominated me to be a student ambassador and representative of the United States of America. I received the letter late in the year of 2004; and in June of 2005 I would board a plane along with forty-and-some other teenagers from across the nation to go to Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia to live their cultures and promote democracy.
The process of preparing for the journey was long and strenuous. Weekly meetings were held, and I had to do X Amount of research on Fijian, Kiwi, and Aussie culture--ethnicity, religion, current events, sports, likes, weather, dislikes, etc--and prove that I was worthy of being sent over. I had to fundraise my plane tickets, which were anything but cheap (total of around $6k). But the day when I checked in at McCarren International Airport and met together with my delegation leader...it was all worth it. Saying goodbye to my family was anything but easy, as that was my first time leaving the country and I was to be utterly seperated from them, but I remember the pride I held inside my heart. I remember thinking just how unique of an opportunity I had been given and how I meant to enjoy it to the fullest.
We flew first to the air terminal in Los Angeles, California and then boarded a Red-Eye flight to Sigatoka, Fiji. The flight was a VERY long fourteen-hour venture, and due to both my nerves and inability to get comfortable in the upright seats, sleep did not befall my eyelids. Fourteen hours really gives way for deep introspection. I thought about the fact that I would be crossing the International Dateline in X-Amount of hours. I thought about how I would be losing a day traveling and then gaining it again when returning to the USA.
We were greeted with a very warm welcome at the Fijian Airport at the early hour of 3am. There was a group of men wearing flowered necklaces, strumming guitars and singing their hello to us. We met up with a native who was to be a delegation leader in that country, and he immediately greeted us with the native word, "Bula!" He taught us a little about their customs, their languages, and their history. Fiji was once the Canibal Islands, and my fellow ambassadors and I were more than intrigued to hear it all. I fell in love with the island of Fiji, and I was minorly bereft to leave its paradasical glory.
New Zealand was cold and wet with the highest temperature being eight degrees Celcius. I stayed with a famiy, the Clarke family, and attended a public all-girls high school with the eldest daughter. I was excited to attend her English class and utterly shocked when the teacher marked my grade down when I expressed a negative opinion of lowering the drinking age.
Australia was a bit warmer, but the company wasn't as friendly as the previous two islands. Most Aussies weren't the nicest when they discovered Americans were in their midsts. But, I also met some of the friendliest natives. I was able to go inside the Sydney Opera House and learn about its architectural structures and accoustics. I was able to get on a yacht and sail out to Tituva Island -- the island where "Scooby Doo: Mystery Island" was filmed.
Returning to the United States was heart-wrenching. Many of the other teenagers I traveled with were equally heartbroken at the notion. We had been away from our families for three weeks, but yet it had seemed more like three days. We all had matured and grown up while abroad. We had all experienced the journey of a lifetime.
Labels: interesting thing, introduction, Katrina Cox
posted by Anonymous | 10:58 AM
1 Comments:
Wow! I loved reading about your experience!! I love how descriptive you were. I hope you took lots of pictures!
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