In the Vail Valley, people are skiers. That is simply the way it is: if you live in Vail, you ski. That is just part of Vail’s specific culture. There are other characteristics that can be used to stereotype Vail as well, just like there are for any other town, country, or region around the world. For example, if someone were to tell you they had a friend in Vail, you would likely picture a young, athletic, wealthy individual that for some reason doesn’t pronounce the letter “t”. In many cases, this assumption would be correct. Vail has a relatively homogenous population, all seemingly living in beautiful homes with beautiful views of the beautiful mountains. This has created what many refer to as “the perfect bubble effect”.
At first, this “perfect bubble” may sound wonderful. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone seems to have similar interests. This beneficially results in very few conflicts, but also leaves very little room for change. Without change and challenges, it is impossible to grow. I firmly believe that in order to establish strong beliefs, those beliefs have to be questioned. Because of this, it is important for beliefs and opinions to be based off of experience and careful thought rather than stereotypes and gossip. Living in such an isolated and homogenous area creates a safe and comfortable environment, but leaves limited opportunity for this exposure to new experiences. As a result, myself and many other high schoolers in Vail desire a change of scenery by the time they apply to college.
I do not say this to portray Vail as a bad or closed minded place. There is truly nowhere else that I would have rather grown up, and I am incredibly fortunate to be blessed with the life I have. The “perfect bubble effect” comes with multiple advantages, and has in many ways made me who I am. For example, growing up in a small town has allowed me to develop a strong sense of self control and identity. When something becomes a “trend” in a small town, it is not like in a city where there will always be people that go against the norm. Often times, if you don’t like the trends in a small town, you have to be comfortable being the only one doing something else. While this can be challenging, learning to stand on my own has given me a strong sense of identity and taught me self-discipline. I know what my morals and beliefs are, and while I am always open to these being challenged, I am also comfortable enough with who I am to stand on my own and advocate for myself.
In my opinion, growing up in the Vail Valley has helped me establish these traits. Had I grown up in a large city for example, there would likely have been enough people that no matter what the social norms were, there would always be a group of people going against the grain. Had I grown up in this environment, I would likely not have developed as strong of a sense of self control. Growing up in Vail has shaped me in many other ways, including giving me a great appreciation for natural beauty and snowy mountains, but the self control I have developed from growing up here is by far the most beneficial thing Vail has given me.
We are all distinctly shaped by where we grow up and who we grow up with. That is why taking advantage of every opportunity to be exposed to different cultures and experiences is so important. Just like my perspective has been shaped by my personal experiences, so have the perspectives of the children I will meet in Tanzania. We have had profoundly different experiences, so we will naturally have profoundly different perspectives. This is a crucial and beautiful thing for myself and all others to experience, as growth and improvement is only made possible through adaptation and connection. I am beyond thrilled to learn from the people I encounter on this trip, and know that this experience will stretch my perspective to new and delightful bounds.
“Learning is a journey: from facts, to knowledge, on to understanding, and eventually wisdom.” -Graham O’Connell
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