We CAN Exchange

Are you sick of the CAN puns yet? Because we aren't...

At the end of my junior year of college, I had the opportunity to embark on my first overseas international trip. This, however, was no ordinary vacation or study abroad program… this was a two week performance tour across Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia with the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. Not only did I get the experience of singing in beautiful cathedrals and unique performance spaces across Europe, but my eyes were opened to a new part of the world and I was able to participate in a transcontinental exchange for the first time in my life.

Suffice to say, this tour gave me the bug - the bug to visit new places and to learn about the many beautiful cultures that exist around the world. One of the most impactful lessons I learned from this experience was the value of individual preparation. Over the course of the 4 months leading up to our trip, the men of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club spent time studying the history, languages, and traditions of the countries we would be visiting. This included memorizing at least one song in each of our visiting country’s native languages. None of this preparation was easy, but every hour of time spent was worth it.

It was both humbling and gratifying to serve as ambassadors for Purdue University (and by extension the United States of America) when visiting each new nation. Many of the performances on our tour were joint shows in collaboration with a local or national choir. Through the avenue of music, we participated in a cultural exchange that transcended any language barrier, and despite our differences we reached of a place of unity that inspires me to this day.

As I look forward to the experience of visiting Tanzania and helping to prevent deforestation at Mt. Kilimanjaro, I am excited not only for our physical activities and impact, but also the for opportunity to learn about and share in the local cultures. I am excited to be a good ambassador for my country and to present the best of American ideals in a part of the world that I have never visited. I am excited to broaden my horizons and become a more well rounded individual through this cultural exchange. The preparation won’t always be easy, but I know the reward for our efforts will more than compensate for the price of our hard work.

Thanks for reading, come back when you can’t stay as long,

The Comedian