From Urban Life to Rural Dreams: A Family's Journey

On one of my parents’ first dates together, my father described cattle they drove past as “amazing creatures” telling my mother someday he would like to have land and livestock of his own. That wish to transition from the big city to the country led him to buy a house in the middle of nowhere Indiana, soon raising his own amazing livestock. Growing up, I often complained about the amount of work living on a farm entailed, from cleaning pens to taking care of my 4-H animals. But my dad never complained because such duties were his reward for starting an idea from scratch. Following his footsteps in pursuit of a dream of my own, I chose to attend a large university where I studied abroad to contrast and challenge my rural perspective. Through that transition, I began to respect the difficulties my father experienced following his goal. And while the responsibilities he undertakes are stressful and uncertain, I now

The similarities in terms of appearance, backgrounds and ideals of the region never contrasted my belief system or caused me to consider outside viewpoints. In college and while studying abroad, the cultural and ideological diversity was like nothing I had yet encountered. It is easy to dismiss someone for any number of personal differences, something that I became more aware of during my semester in Denmark. Being white and tall, it was relatively easy for me to physically blend into society. More challenging was when my opinions were the minority and conveying my thoughts was difficult due to stereotypes and the language barrier. Returning home, I found new respect for those struggling due to their cultural or other societal differences. I am more open-minded and receptive to the attitudes of others, allowing for respect, teamwork and cooperation with anyone I