Student Voices in Education Trip

There is so much to say about my two week trip to NECC and School of the Future World Summit with the Student Voices participants from TakingITGlobal. It is hard to know where to start.

I left expecting to learn a lot, meet knew people and hopefully make connection in beginning a career in education. I also had many fears that something would go wrong, that the mixing social norms of cross-cultures would lead to unhappy people, and in the back of my mind that this great opportunity was all fake.

My fears were met when I got to the airport only to find my ticket to fly out to Philadelphia had been voided. I called the travel agency, but it was the weekend and all they could do was book the flight again for over $2,000. I called all the numbers I had received from TakingITGlobal, but they were flying or sleeping. I tried very hard not to lose hope and distract myself while waiting for a return phone call. Mike from TIG contacted me and re-booked my flight. It was excellent to hear him so nice and respond quickly to get me on a flight only later that day.

Arriving in Philadelphia, I did not know whether I was to find my own way to the hotel (as I would have if I arrived earlier or I was being picked up). I walked toward the baggage claim, but couldn't help but notice a familiar looking face with a sign along the wall. With some reluctance, I went to meet Luke for the first time, who had been mine main contact in planning this trip. We turned to look for my baggage and waited, and waited, and waited. All the while we both seemed tired and unable to hold a conversation.

Finally we gave up and took a shuttle to the hotel. I checked in, but even this took too much effort when the people behind the desk could not find my name. Turned out it was there the whole time, and I bugged Luke for help for nothing. Luke headed back to the airport to pick up Shraddha and my bag. I met Dilmurod and we walked down to Market Street to look for something to eat.

The whole walk, I struggled to understand Dilmurod because he spoke quietly, with a thick accent and I couldn't hear well. We explored together, but could not find any place to eat, until we gave up and got food from a convenience store WaWa's. There was no place to eat, and we walked back with the food. I was carrying my bag with a heavy laptop in it and kept having to switch shoulders. Dilmurod had offered to carry the bag several times, but not experiencing that often, I did not realize it until at some point he managed to take it from me. It made me a bit uncomfortable because I have been raised in a society where I don't want help from someone unless I truly need it. It also made me feel a bit like I was supposed to be a weak woman. But it also made me feel good to let Dilmurod help, knowing he may have felt much better following the correct role carrying my bag for me.

Upon returning to the hotel, we both went our separate ways and ate--the food wasn't any good. After a few phone calls and exploring the room, Luke and Shraddha returned with my bag (but not her's; it was lost). But we all realized the room had one bed and went to ask for another one. Shraddha and I enjoyed a bit of conversation, but finally there was sleep after a fairly awkward day of travel.