Travel Makes One Modest

"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Scott Cameron

This is the quote that inspired the URL of my blog. I have grown up in a bubble. First, the bubble of Manhasset, then the Kellenberg bubble, and now the Siena bubble. People know who I am. They recognize my name. I can walk across campus at Siena, and say hi to more than half the people that walk by me. 

I have stretched the bubble a few times. Sometimes it is on a trip somewhere exotic, South Africa being one example, and sometimes is right in the state of NY. But now, as I prepare to embark on a four month journey to somewhere completely different, it is time for the bubble to pop. As I am writing this post, one particular lecture from my genetics class comes to mind. It was the lecture where we talked about David Vetter*, also known as "Bubble Boy". We talked about him in class, and I was so fascinated that I looked online later that day to see what else I could learn about him. This is an excerpt from Wikipedia. "When David was four years old, he discovered that he could poke holes in his bubble using a butterfly syringe that was left inside the chamber by mistake. At this point, the treatment team explained to him what germs were and how they affected his condition. As he grew older, he became aware of the world outside his chamber, and expressed an interest in participating in what he could see outside the windows of the hospital and via television." I feel as if this parallels my current situation (without the whole dying when I leave my bubble aspect). These life lessons that I've learned over the years have been holes in my bubble. I have expressed many interests in participating in the outside world, where life is not defined by saga cups of coffee or hours spent in the library. 

Now is the time for me to burst my bubble. 

I am going to Quito, Ecuador first, and then to the Galapagos Islands. The time has come for me to learn a new language, meet people who do not look just like me, see animals I have never seen before, to snorkel, to scuba dive. All of my problems have always felt so big. I didn't get a great grade on an orgo test; I had a bad diving practice today; I don't know the right time to take the MCAT and GRE. When I step back and think about my problems compared to those of the world, I am humbled. I am about to see just how small of a place I occupy in the world, and I am grateful that I have the opportunity to do it.

*If you want to read more about David Vetter, check out this article!

http://www.houstonpress.com/1997-04-10/news/bursting-the-bubble/full/