Study Abroad in El Salvador

"You can't be serious!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Do you know what's going on down there?!"

Ah, yes, these were just a few of the many disapproving responses I received when voicing my interest in traveling to El Salvador to participate in a summer study abroad program. Mind you, being from Hawaii, El Salvador is a country that people here are rarely familiar with, and this doesn't even take into account the language barrier. Of course, as every child knows, the more absurd sounding their requests are, the more effort and time is needed before a possible parental consent is finally given. And this was no different for me. In order to get my parents used to the idea of me possibly studying abroad in El Salvador, I began hinting at the idea during my freshman year of college. With enough perseverance, I managed to get their approval by the end of my junior year. I’ll be honest, this process took a little longer than I had originally expected. But soon enough, I was seated on a plane heading to El Salvador. I was on my way!