“The most memorable moments at YYGS were the different ways people from different cultures interacted socially and the acceptance of different cultural identities among all participants. Maintaining this characteristic of being ‘open minded’ allowed us to learn from each other and connect with one another.”
After the program, I was motivated to try new things and be open towards adventure. One of the things I had always wanted to do was scuba diving. At first I was terrified of the concept, as the idea of being in an environment where I had little to no control of what could potentially happen was very frightening. But the YYGS program allowed me the experience of meeting people who weren’t afraid of new things, which inspired me to take up the challenge.
After hours of studying and test taking, I had my first dive in Cozumel, Mexico. The experience was amazing, since it was like an undiscovered world for me. Not only was the experience amazing, but the people that I met were super friendly as well. I had done numerous more dives and training from summer all the way to winter break, until I got a license as a PADI certified autonomous open diver, with the ability to reach depths of 60 feet underwater without professional oversight. Now I am looking for opportunities over the summer to do professional diving work around Lake Michigan to continue the experience and improve my skills.