My life is a build up of first times. Like the first time I rode a bike, or the first time I ate a hot dog. Some may be simple, and other are complex. While on the other hand some may seem simple but are actually more than the expected. There are so many variations of first times. But first times can build your personality, though it may not be obvious. I learned so much about myself through a simple experience. Like how I handle things. A life is build of experiences and you are made through those little moments of time.

The summer 2016 was begun by one two-week trip that would be remembered for a lifetime. A thirteen hour air ride to begin.

“The flight is about to board”, said my mom with a rushed look on her face. The first one of our two plane rides was just about to begin. San Diego to Atlanta, then Atlanta to Switzerland. My excitement was outwardly shown through the wonderful expression on my face.

This trip was basically the first time ever going out of the country. This was going to be a monumental experience. When going out of the country their are several distinct changes that you have to be accustomed too. For example there is a completely different currency. Plus people who live there speak a completely different language. It is essentially a whole new environment.

When I visited these spectacular places I figured out several new qualities about myself. Ones that I never knew. Throughout these challenges of figuring out how to function in a whole new place, I discovered new traits about myself.

The first trait I noticed about myself is my constant wanting to not stand out. I noticed this the second day in Zurich, Switzerland but the first day actually going out. In Zürich there were a lot of people but most of them either lived or worked there. Therefore my mom and I didn’t blend in at all. We are obviously American so we didn’t speak anyone’s language except the people at the stores. And I realized very quickly that I didn’t feel comfortable not blending in. I do not try to be outstandingly different. So when I was it was awkward for me. It is like when someone has a weird costume on and you can’t help yourself but to look. People new that we were not from there so they always treated us like foreigners. So then I thoroughly realized that I do not like drawing attention to myself in public circumstances as can be seen. 

In result of the trip I also discovered my true hidden love of traveling. I love experiencing a different culture and seeing the beautiful architecture and land. Which I surprisingly thought would have been boring in the first place. But then my opinion changed and I found a secret interest, and appreciation of the architecture. The towns and cities are so enormously different and amazingly beautiful in their own ways.

As well, throughout my trip I found out that I am a self-reliant person. Well, I am unless I know for a fact that I can’t do it myself. I do not like to ask questions because if I have a question I have the resources to look it up myself. I found this out very early in the trip as well. I found this out when my mother kept on asking random people for directions. Even though I said I could do it she still persisted to ask people. Repetitively she asked, “Do you know where this is?” And very easily I noticed I didn’t want or need to ask people for help. So why did she? This trait of mine might not be very helpful at times, because I might be too self reliant and not want people's help when I actually do need it. But it is also very beneficial because I can rely on myself to get things done.

Throughout my adventures in a foreign place I out found several things out about myself. I as well showed how I found stuff out about myself through a first time. The experience itself started as a really fun and exciting thing, but through time it became a enlightening two weeks that pushed me to reveal new things about myself. It was exciting in the way of being in a whole new country and seeing all new beautiful places. Then changed to an enlightening experience that helped me discover more about myself. The experiences were amazing and helped me find more about me.