I’ve traveled to eight countries so far in my life: Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Greece, England, the Philippines and Mexico. And my experiences visiting all these places has made a huge impact on how I view the world.
When I was 8, I traveled to Sicily, where my dad’s family is from. While I was there, I learned a lot about Italian culture. Every night, the whole family came together to make dinner — everyone helped out in some way. I’d help wash vegetables for the pasta sauce, and the adults would chat and drink while cooking together. It was interesting to see how tightly knit my family in Italy was.
Traveling to a wide range of countries made me see how different, yet similar people can be. Despite cultural differences between a variety of countries, many prioritize the importance of community.
That trip was such a monumental period in my life. I went home with a sense of pride in my culture. I was given a taste of cultural understanding leaving me with a desire to discover more about where I’m from.
Nina Tan Pernice (she/her), is a high school student from Oakland, California.
Edited by Amber Ly and shaylyn martos