By Ella Flynn

Cambodia didn’t just push me out of my comfort zone—it made me question why I had one to begin with.

Over the Winter Mini-Term, I had the opportunity to study abroad for two weeks in Cambodia. This was my first time ever leaving the country and I was extremely nervous. As soon as I stepped off the plane, I knew this was going to be unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Even though it was midnight, the streets were alive. I was immediately immersed in new sights and sounds. As a very sleep-deprived and jet-lagged traveler, I was not feeling very confident at this point in the journey. 

Throughout the program, we traveled across Cambodia and visited many different farms, ATPs, and other establishments. I bonded with my roommate, Kayla, over our shared caution towards trying new types of food. At first, Kayla and I wandered around the various cities trying to food that felt more familiar to us.

As the week progress, I was finally getting more adjusted to this new lifestyle. My sleep schedule was on track, I found a few new foods that I liked, and I was really bonding with the other students. Then came the hardest day for me. The day that changed how I had been viewing my first international experience.

The day I faced my fears, climbed into a kayak, and spent hours on the water. 

We had the opportunity to visit a site where a man had been planting mangroves and educating local Cambodian children on their significance to the ecosystem. To be able to participate and actually plant mangroves, we had to kayak. This may not seem like a huge deal to most, however to me, this was a pivotal moment in my life. For many years I had been scared to kayak because of experiences from my childhood. I decided I was not going to tell anyone this and tried to stay as calm and collected as possible. While I thought it was pretty obvious just how terrified I was, my faculty leader and kayaking partner at the time said he never knew.​ 

This one small step outside of my comfort zone changed my outlook on the trip, my life, and who I am. I found out I really enjoy kayaking and this would turn out to be my favorite experience of the whole trip.  I was riding the adrenaline rush of this moment for the remainder of the trip, choosing every day to take one more step towards new experiences, foods, and challenges that scared me at first. I found a new love for Chek Pong Moan (a small, sweet banana) – Cambodia’s national fruit!  I tried everything that I could. Well, almost everything. The one thing I refused was to allow a tarantula to crawl on me. 

This experience taught me that I can do hard things and that most growth happens outside of our comfort zones. Since coming back from the trip, I have viewed everything differently. I have more patience and compassion for international travelers because of the compassion the people of Cambodia showed me. I have more respect for the faculty, students that went on the trip, and myself because of what we all experienced together. 

I now have the opportunity to share my experiences and encourage others to take advantage of programs like this, especially because my faculty leaders gave us the tools to reflect on what we saw and share it with others. Most of all, I have developed a new interest in travel and global agriculture because of this experience. I would give anything to go back to Cambodia for just one more banana!

Today I get to work for the Smith International Center, where I share opportunities like this one and encourage others to take advantage of them—if you are interested, please contact us or visit our website to learn more.

Interested in study abroad? Learn more about how you can grow global through similar programs here!