Samantha Brum: Caving in Budapest

During my experiences overseas I have grown to better understand myself as an independent individual. An experience like this challenges you to become comfortable with solace and leaves you to look deep inside yourself to figure out who you really are and what you stand for. Although you are never alone (thanks to the amazing people you’ll meet) you will need to depend on yourself for the strength and support to take this opportunity for all its worth.

When we are in our comfort zones we have created the safety blanket that is the perception of the self. But It’s when we step outside of our comfort zones, that’s we truly learn, grow and get to test our capabilities.

 

While on a trip to Budapest I went on a caving adventure beneath Buda hill. It was on this trip that I realized that I am far more capable of overcoming obstacles and conquering my fears than I had never imagined I was. Prior to stepping into the cave, I was riddled with anxiety and uncertainty of whether or not I could actually crawl through a pitch black cave (I tend to have minor claustrophobia and a fear of not knowing what could be in the dark), but once I climbed down the first 50 meters to begin our trek into the dark, I realized that I was completely safe and there was nothing to be afraid of.

 

 

Any reservations I had had were just holding me back from making the most of this adventure of a life time and causing me to be too preoccupied with uncertainty to truly enjoying the experience. Everyone has experienced their own growth along their journey and everyone will have a different story, but this is just one of the many examples of the ways I believe I have grown. I hope to continue to challenge myself and learn more about whom I am and what I am capable of accomplishing over the next couple weeks. 

 

Samantha is a third year Bachelor of Communication Studies Student studying abroad at FHWien University of Applied Sciences in Vienna, Austria.