Expanding my Comfort Zone on my Gap Year

I made it to Vietnam! It’s hard to believe I have completed half of my World Stamp gap year experience. It’s been two months since I’ve been away from home and I am also missing India so certainly these past few days have been a bit strange. Nevertheless, upon my arrival, I really enjoyed seeing a new scenery. It’s definitely different from the streets of Jaipur and will get some getting used to. However, a skill I have acquired on this journey is being able to adjust to change and how to expand my comfort zone. It can be overwhelming, however I realize that change is the only thing constant in life and it’s important to be able to perceive it in a positive way. Therefore, although I feel a little hesitant to be in a new place, I’m learning to transition to new experiences quickly and fully: wholeheartedly without comparison, ready to create more memories.

I know it may sound cliche, but considering it was my 18th birthday the day I traveled from India to Vietnam, I definitely felt more comfortable with the idea of traveling alone, which gave me a positive sense of independence. Though I was still a little nervous about leaving the familiarity of India and missing my family a little more, I remembered the purpose discovered while volunteering in India. I want to make an impact and so, on the contrary, I am also feeling so blessed to have these completely different exposures back to back. I have the opportunity to make an impact extensively.

Having this in mind, I woke up ready to dive into my volunteer work. I got to meet the children and let me say, the language barrier is definitely a big challenge. Since it was an observation day, I sat in on a class, which is extremely different from schooling back home, another thing to get used to. Overall, the cultural difference will be a challenge, as I have grown accustomed to the culture of India, but I have also learned that the special things take time and patience. I remember feeling this on my first day at the Ambedkar Nagar center and by the end, I was so sad to leave. It’s all so new but I know I am capable of adjusting and it will soon feel familiar.