By Alexandra Krebs, SUNY Oneonta
My research travel to Colombia was a unique field research experience since it required me to inquire with locals why they participate in their weekly practice of dancing Tango. This was the first time I was prompted to interact with people who have different life experiences, culture, and language than me. This was the first time I built my own research project from scratch as well, which is good experience for future research endeavors. Engaging with research in global contexts is conducive to the growth of an academic because it requires a degree of empathy rather than sympathy. To further explain, being in the same environment of your interviewees and approaching a world unfamiliar to you with curiosity rather than observing from afar- is the cherry on top of understanding a people. I walked away from this experience with a new sense of humility; knowing that I don’t know everything, even what I think I know might appear differently in new contexts. Something I realized on my journey; that doesn’t necessarily have to do with research; is that not some people’s disapproval of you is a compliment in disguise. Don’t let envious people dim your light. The world is so much bigger than you, remember to take daily inconveniences with a grain of salt. My interests lie in exploring the world and uncovering knowledge that I wouldn’t have without putting myself out into the world. I incorporated both my major (exercise science) and my passion for travel in this project; reaffirming the importance of staying fit so that one can experience life to the fullest. Although I am not entirely sure what my next steps will be, I do know that I want to continue my education to a masters or doctoral degree, and this project is another gem to add to my resume. I think I would like to pursue language studies or women’s health studies. I would like to attend school somewhere I have not lived before.
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