A New Perspective College Essay

        The surrounding cliffs and endless miles of highway reminded me nothing of my hometown on the coast of Massachusetts. Crammed into a twelve-passenger van, I realized by the highway signs that on this July afternoon in 2009, we were crossing state borders into Kentucky. It was suddenly evident to me I was in a car filled with strangers, surrounded by five teenagers I barely knew and two adults who were my replacement parents for the next nine days. We all sat in silence and for the most part we were consumed by our  i-Pods or by our own inclination to pass the time with sleep. I sat awake and alert, staring at the scenery that made me desperately miss the sight of the ocean and the spectacular beaches of New England. I finally gave into my exhaustion from traveling, propped up my pillow adjacent to the window, and laid my head against the only familiarity I had with me from home.

            Suddenly, I jolted into consciousness with a severe crick in my neck; however, the pain seemed to disappear as shock erupted throughout my body. The door to the van was open, we were stopped on the highway, and I was sitting there alone. Thinking the worst had occurred; I rushed out of the van and stepped into the ten-foot wide breakdown lane. Ahead of me to the side of the highway was the rest of service trip group I was traveling with, as well as people I didn’t recognize, some families, groups of travelers, and one all male heavy metal band who later offered their CD to us. The sight was unlike anything I had ever seen before, an entire highway stopped, and all different groups of people intermingling in this rare situation.

            Us Massachusetts folk joked that this sort of thing would never happen in Boston, everyone would have just cursed and maneuvered until they made it through the backup. Despite the delay everyone was in good spirits. A group of about fifteen of us sat down in the middle of the breakdown lane, began to play cards and munch on Chips Ahoy cookies. “How spectacular are those cliffs?” a girl, Maddie, who was sitting next to me, said, “I wish we had some of those at home. Leon said they’re natural to these surroundings.” The group agreed, including me, and I couldn’t believe how ignorant I had been hours earlier, wishing I could swap those enormous russet cliffs for an ocean view.

            Oddly enough, we were all reluctant to get back in our vans and continue our trip to Breathitt County. There was no longer silence in my van, but consistent conversations, which made me realize that we were all becoming fast friends. I couldn’t help but switch my attention to the cliffs every so often, and the way the tone of them compared with the blue sky made their beauty seem even more amazing. In the months leading up to Kentucky, I heard from countless individuals that teenagers return from this particular service project more appreciative of their lifestyles and the opportunities that afforded them. I returned to my hometown valuing the tpical aspects of my life, such as my education and my home, and my family. In addition, I gained a new respect for the hardworking people of America who strive to provide opportunities for their family even in the poorest of conditions.

I find myself constantly referring back to the “stuck on the highway incident”.  This ASP trip to Kentucky made me realize how closed minded I was that by wishing for an ocean view I had ignored the immense beauty surrounding me. I frequently think of the break down lane, where I gained a new perspective that will remind me to accept challenges and differences for the rest of my life. I learned on the highway that day to embrace differences, whether they are people, places, or even landscapes and to open my heart and mind to new and interesting aspects of the world.