Change is part of the deal

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Denilson Perez

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Denilson Perez

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Ciao! <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> University of California, Santa Cruz <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2024 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Bologna, Italy <i>Program provider:</i> UCEAP <i>Major/minor:</i> Latin American & Latinx Studies & Sociology / Language Studies <i>Demographics:</i> Hispanic/Latinx, Multi-Racial, First-Generation College Student, LGBTQ+ <i>Future career aspirations:</i> I want a career that allows me to continue learning about the world around me. As a social science major that involves society as a whole as well as history. Throughout my time in college this field has expanded my knowledge about the world; historically, socially, and culturally. It has helped me understand how it is that we got to this point in time. It's also made me hyperaware of structural issues in our society. In short, I want a career that allows me to explore such things while also helping to be a part of the change we need in this century. <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> – Make international friends. – Learn to make pasta from scratch. – To learn something new about myself.

I’ve arrived at the point where my study abroad program has come to an end. These past four months have been an absolute gift and it’s an experience I will never forever cherish. I remember the first day I arrived in Bologna I had a sense of relief and excitement. My trip here had taken a total of twenty hours and I was just glad to finally arrive at my destination. I was also looking forward to the adventure I was embarking on. Looking back now it was everything I expected it to be. I made lifelong friends, traveled to some of the most beautiful places, improved my Italian, ate amazing food, and overall learned a lot about myself throughout it all.

A recurring theme in my blogs has been the pursuit of adventure and wisdom. I think that’s one of the main reasons I enjoy traveling so much. It’s through these experiences that I am able to challenge myself to grasp new understandings and even discover new uncertainties.

One thing I’ve discovered is that sometimes traveling to places far away from family and friends can feel isolating. This is something that I didn’t expect to feel. I’ve always thought of myself as an independent and outgoing person. I’ve learned that I am those things but sometimes this it isn’t enough to feel like you’re always thriving. The latter is an illusion because in life it’s impossible to feel prosperous consistently. That’s just not how it works. We hit road bumps and recognize that what we once believed about ourselves can evolve, which isn’t bad.

The past few years I’ve traveled and moved around enough to know that I’m an adaptable person but I’ve also come to realize that I also crave some sense of stability and familiarity. However, it’s hard to balance my desire for adventure and stability because they’re essentially total opposites. Going forward this is a new dilemma I will have to grapple with. It’s something I didn’t see coming as I never considered it. It allows me to comprehend that thinking processes that I wholeheartedly believed would never shift is an unrealistic way of going through life. As we grow and go through new experiences it’s natural for perspectives to evolve and this is a continuous process.