Humans of Hofstra: Lauren Reyes
“Everyone knows everyone. You get pregnant, get married and never leave,” said junior global studies major Lauren Reyes of her home town.
Reyes’ ambitions were bigger than what her small town had to offer. So she left her home in Texas and made her way to New York, running away from the all-too-common fate of her hometown, in pursuit of paving her own way.
A semester into Hofstra, Reyes embarked on a study abroad journey throughout Europe. In her time there, she visited France, Germany, Switzerland, Croatia and the Czech Republic. Reyes explained how she could feel impressions of her hometown leave her with every country she visited. “Being exposed to so many different cultures helped me recognize how big the world is. I saw how many people and opportunities are waiting for me,” she said.
This longing for an absorption of culture inspired Reyes to begin studying French. She now spends her free time watching French movies with English subtitles in an effort to perfect the craft. Along with English, and now French, Reyes is fluent in Spanish as well; both of her parents are from El Salvador. “My grandmother mainly raised me, so my soul will always be Latina,” Reyes said in regard to how immersed she was in her culture during her upbringing. She has carried these values with her into her present life.
Growing up, her grandmother always prepared traditional El Salvador cuisine. Reyes said her favorites are chilaquiles, pupusas and their version of a chicken sandwich. Reyes described the cuisine as “a way to connect with people. In America no one wants to share food, but in so many other places it’s so different.”
As a global studies major, Reyes has always had a desire to learn about the world around her.
Her curiosity to know more about the world is what prompted her to move away on her own. After spending the semester at Hofstra last fall, she felt she was prepared to embark on her journey through Europe, which she said was the longest time she had ever been away from her mom. Reyes mentioned that although being alone was difficult at times, it taught her a lot about independence.
“Being away from everyone I know forced me to find myself,” she said, adding that not having people who knew her previously allowed her to be whoever she wanted.
Upon making her trek back to Houston, she returned to Europe again for the summer, visiting all the same places she had been previously, as well as Spain. This time she went with her family, detailing the experience as a “time of bonding for all of us.”
Growing up, she lived with her mom, whereas her half-sister lived with her father. Reyes said the trip gave the whole family the opportunity “to build a lifelong memory together.” Seeing the world is one way Reyes feels people can grow, and she feels the trip helped her family grow together as a unit.
For Reyes, traveling yields a novel outlook on cultures that supplements her learning and understanding about the world – an outlook that is only made possible by making the conscious decision to leave home.