Viewpoints Editor Isabella Gresham’s grandfather, Jaime Ruiz, her brother, Patrick Gresham, and Isabella (from left to right) pose in a restaurant in Barranquilla, Colombia on Dec. 28, 2013. Isabella reflected on the receptiveness of the places she has visited, like Puerto Rico and Colombia, despite her past difficulty to connect with her Colombian culture. “No matter how distant I may have felt from my heritage because of the pale color of my skin or the fact that my Spanish barely goes beyond the level of a high school class, I was pulled in with open arms,” Isabella wrote. Photo courtesy of Maria Ruiz
Viewpoints Editor Isabella Gresham shares her experience traveling to various countries and how seeing multiple cultures helped shape her self-identity.
With my passport in hand and a suitcase, I step into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for another plane ride to a new place.
Each flight I’ve taken has done more than connect me to a new destination. It made it possible for me to find comfort in unique areas. I’ve visited over eight places inside and outside of the United States, but my favorite experiences reside in those filled with unfamiliar cultures. “Exotic” locations like Puerto Rico, Aruba and Colombia have opened my eyes to new food, music and learning opportunities that connect back to my own heritage.
Although I am Colombian, my lack of Spanish-speaking skills and upbringing in the U.S. has resulted in me feeling distant from my culture. However, being able to physically see myself in Colombia during June 2024, surrounded by its rich culture filled with salsa dancing, arepas and sancocho, with Shakira playing from every speaker, made it possible for me to envision myself connecting with that way of life.
Being able to travel to both Puerto Rico and Colombia proved to me that culture goes deeper than history and music, but lies within unconditional acceptance found in familial and communal ties–something I plan to carry back to the U.S.
This continued when I visited Puerto Rico in 2025, where my stepdad was born and raised. I saw the similarities between the two Spanish-speaking countries that, although vastly different in their customs, still fit the same mold. Rather than hearing Shakira, I heard Bad Bunny. Rather than eating corn arepas, I ate plantains and mofongo practically every day.
Despite their differences, both cultures reflected one main thing for me: unity.
No matter how distant I may have felt from my heritage because of the pale color of my skin or the fact that my Spanish barely goes beyond the level of a high school class, I was pulled in with open arms. I was able to see how closely knit the communities were and fit into them regardless of whether we shared the same language or background.
Being able to travel to both Puerto Rico and Colombia proved to me that culture goes deeper than history and music, but lies within unconditional acceptance found in familial and communal ties–something I plan to carry back to the U.S.
