COLUMN
SUBMITTED BY KELLY SMITH
Kelly
Smith
College opens the door to opportunity for Yosemite High grad
The best years of my life started almost three years ago when I
left behind the sleepy gaze of Oakhurst to pursue bigger and better
things: College. Ever since I was three years old I can remember
aspiring to be a sweater-wearing, book-wielding college student.
Later, when I went to high school, I realized going to a good college
was the only way to get out of this town for good. My education
has always meant a lot to me, but it is not just about going to
class and reading Machiavelli. It’s about lifetime experiences,
and at 21 these really are the best years of our lives (does it
really all go downhill from here?).
Mine began when my parents helped me move down to Pitzer College,
a journey complete with Less Than Jake blasting from the stereo
as a tribute to leaving small towns.
But that was just the beginning, and I have learned so much since
then. Five months ago I was about to embark on a journey I had never
imagined. With the gracious help of the External Studies office
at Pitzer, I had the opportunity to study politics in London for
a semester through a Boston University program.
I left in January 2004 and will never regret this pivotal time in
my life when things began to change once more. Living in a foreign
country not only helps us identify and understand ourselves as individuals
and citizens of a nation, but also gives the perspective that we
are part of a much larger picture. Oakhurst seemed small before,
now it is miniscule.
London is one the most diverse cities in the world and has a very
unique political and social environment. It has amazing architecture
and a prominent history, something I knew every day passing by St.
Paul’s Cathedral and the London Bridge to get to work. Through the
BU program I studied the British political system, took tours of
Westminster, and even sat out in front of 10 Downing Street, the
home of Tony Blair, hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous Prime
Minister. The most rewarding part was my internship at a non-governmental
organization called War on Want, a group that runs a campaign against
global poverty. The people in that small office were a perfect match
for me and helped fine-tune my future career aspirations.
For some reason I used to think England smelled like worn leather,
antique and unfamiliar, but carries memories just as Mom’s Nina
Ricci perfume will always remind me of her. After a while the smell
of London evolved from old leather and took on many more layers-like
when the sun would shine on freshly bloomed daffodils and bright
purple lilacs; smoked duck in the windows of Chinatown shops; the
choking congestion from the red, open-top buses. It is amazing the
way just a simple scent can transport mind and body to a familiar
time and place, like the way the strong smell of jasmine will always
remind me of Pitzer.
Almost 5,000 miles away from home and my first time living outside
of California, I discovered a whole new world. I had to pinch myself
every day for four months to wake up and realize that I was in London.
I had to take advantage of every moment.
As an American I tried to understand parts of the world outside
of our little bubble and I cannot help but think of it in a political
context. While I was in London I met very few people who used my
nationality against my personality, but it did happen. My friends
and I were called “stupid Americans” on a few occasions and once
were even told that we were brainwashed, but I knew enough at this
point not to take it personally.
Yet while these people were trying to insult us, the exact opposite
occurred. I am proud to be who I am, and though at times I am not
necessarily proud to be an American, I realize that it is a huge
part of who I am and there is nothing I can do about it.
What I will do, however, is use my privilege as a citizen of the
world’s hegemon to change the world.
Sound a little far-fetched? Not necessarily. There was a point in
my life when things like college seemed impossible and unreachable.
When I graduate from Pitzer a year from now, I will be a different
person just as I was different one year ago, and having, hopefully,
discovered new things in life to pursue and appreciate.
Growing up in a small town is not necessarily exciting, but the
realization that there are a lot of things beyond this porridge
bowl ignited a passion that took me over the big pond to a new and
improved me.
Kelly Smith
is a Yosemite High School graduate and a contributing writer for
the Sierra Star this summer.
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