My First Global Experience

I’m writing a blog post every day in November as part of a writing challenge. Read why here.

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Today is the second of 3 let’s-blog-together Wednesdays as part of my 3-on-3 #mygloballife November Mini-Challenge. (You can read the first one here.) This weeks question?

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Q. 2 What was your first global experience?

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Here’s my answer.

I’ve always been interested in languages, cultures, and travel. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t.

My first international travel experience was at 16, but I had global experiences well before that. The first one I remember was meeting my friend Gaby in 3^rd grade.

It was a long time ago, so the details are fuzzy, but if I remember correctly, Gaby and her family had moved to the US from Mexico. I think Gaby was a few years older than me but was put in my grade because she was learning English. Gaby and her siblings spoke Spanish on the playground, and I was so jealous that they had a “secrete language.”

When Gaby arrived in my class I immediately wanted to be her friend. I thought it was just so amazing that she had lived in another country and was becoming bilingual. I decided that I too would become fluent in a second language someday. I don’t remember how long Gaby went to my school, what we talked about or what we did together but I’ve never forgotten her.

Later, when I was in school in Germany – in an 11^th grade class when I actually was in 12^th grade – trying to learn German through total immersion, I thought about Gaby and what it must have been like for her to move to another country and learn English.

In retelling this story I realize just how few details I remember about our friendship. But the impact of meeting Gaby has been long-lasting.