Dear Editor,

    Plain City is all I have ever known; for 17 years I have grown up in this quaint village that seems to be up and coming. For the longest time, life outside of Plain City didn’t even seem appealing. I mean, who wouldn’t want to go to a high school in the middle of two fields? That was until I began traveling. Once I began to discover life outside of Plain City, I soon realized that there is so much more to this world than what we may see every day.

    Over the summer I had the privilege to travel to Italy and Switzerland. Never before had I been out of the United States, but once I was in Europe, I truly began to see the lifestyle and cultural differences that do exist. I wasn’t naive. I knew going into the trip that I would have some eye-opening experiences, and that I did. Those experiences, though, helped me to see and respect other people’s values. When asked, do you think you are more understanding of other cultures since you’ve traveled, Spanish teacher Lindsay Dollinger replied, “Without experiencing conditions like absolute poverty, hunger, or even witnessing theft (all of which are evident in the United States but on a smaller scale), I never really understood the desperation that people could feel.  You can read about it, and see pictures, but seeing it in person and talking to people whose family members have died because they couldn’t afford food or treatment for common diseases is just mind-blowing. On the flip side, I’ve experienced some really awesome things like hiking to Machu Picchu and going to the Running of the Bulls, and those are a whole other understanding of cultures.”

    After my trip, I will admit that I was so excited to be back on American soil, but I was also thankful for the once in a lifetime experience. I so wish that more of my peers had the opportunity to experience and see life outside of Plain City. It’s becoming too common that young adults are going off into the real world without a grasp of the world outside of Ohio. Often, college is the first time many get to experience life outside of our small town, and then there are those who never leave. Plain City is home and always will be. I will never discredit the town that has helped shape who I am today. I just hope as my peers and I are approaching a new stage in our lives that we embrace change and accept the world around us. Take a risk, see the world, try new things.

Sincerely,

Jenna Mink