Barbados: Gaining a New Perspective

Submitted by Hannah Horne-Fiducioso on the 2019 winter session program in Barbados sponsored by the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and the Department of Hospitality Business Management…

After being in Barbados for almost a month, I will miss the clear beaches and warm sand. One of the most eye-opening experiences I have ever had was on this beach while I was talking with a local man. After declining a jet ski ride, I talked to a nice older man named Isaac. While chatting, I told him that their beaches are absolutely lovely and I wish that the beaches at my home were similar. He reminded me that the beaches in Barbados were mine just as much as they were his. Isaac also told me that we cannot own the ocean and that we are to all share nature together. I feel like in America, we are so quick to label things as “mine” and “yours”. With his help, I was able to look at the world around me with a different perspective, and I am forever appreciative.