Ask any student who has studied abroad and they will tell you about the numerous benefits of the experience. Cultural immersion, cheap traveling and learning a new language are all ranked as the top rewards of leaving one’s home country to study somewhere an ocean away. I had all of these factors in mind when I chose to leave the Midwest, hop on a plane and travel 4,000 miles away to live and study in Madrid, Spain.
However, on the plane, another benefit popped into my head — this was a brief five months I could spend removed from U.S. politics. I looked forward to this time spent apart from the polarization, mud-raking and mounting Christian Nationalism that plague all aspects of American government and politics.
My news feed and TikTok For You Page, seeing the change in my location, responded accordingly, showing me Spanish and European news of new laws and local protests. Initially, I found myself swiping past all U.S.-centred videos, ignoring any news articles I came across concerning politics.
As I am a political science major, you may be surprised that I do not have a fervent and unending desire to hear political and governmental news. Instead, for me, being informed on the news can often result in an emotional weight. Watching scenes of families being torn apart, children going hungry or even being killed across the globe, can leave a feeling of hopelessness, sadness and anger. It can be hard to go about your daily life normally with these feelings and I often struggle with a sense of despondence about current political affairs. These five months seemed like the perfect opportunity to ignore the state of America and focus instead on cultural immersion and traveling.
That brings me to my ultimate question: should you look away from a car crash? When driving, do you avert your eyes, careful not to look through the swarm of ambulances and police vehicles at the tangled mess of metal splayed across the road? Do you thank the universe that you need not think more than a minute about the scene because you are safely removed on the other side of the road? Or, do you slow down and take in the sight, recognizing that you cannot possibly remove yourself from the pain and sadness another human is experiencing so close to you?
I find that even though I want to choose the first option — to ignore the mess of polarization and animosity on the other side of the ocean — I find myself unable to do so. What I would be ignoring would not just be politicians spewing hate comments, but the plight of those suffering in ICE raids or children dying daily from gun violence. I would be looking away from the families unable to afford food due to rising costs of groceries and the unhoused experiencing intensified winter storms due to climate change. To ignore them is to give power to the billionaires and politicians who want us to remain apathetic and turn a blind eye to what is happening, allowing them to propel their own agendas, maintaining their public image and wealth.
Furthermore, as my professor of political development in Spain draws on frequently, there are similar problems here. Fascist groups are coming out of the woodwork, drawing on the Franco dictatorship’s songs, flags and symbols to cement their idealized ideology. Rising tensions surrounding affordable housing and high youth unemployment foster an increase in discrimination against migrants. That is to say, human struggle does not go away with a plane ride. Instead, being abroad, you realize how interrelated our world really is. As I compare the news from home with recent problems I am learning about taking place in my host country, I recognize that it is naive to think I can leave concern for U.S. affairs behind. The issues in both countries are not isolated — to ignore American politics is to lose a greater sense of understanding of what is happening in Spain and in the rest of the world.
The systems and culture I experience here in Spain give me a sense of both sadness and inspiration. No country, state or territory is perfect. Since America’s beginning, there have been systemic issues of racism, sexism and classism causing polarization and harm. However, it is not from apathy that these issues are resolved. It is the education, care and sense of responsibility Americans hold that make our country a better place.
To all those wanting to take the easy path and continue on their drive: look at the car crash, take it in, reflect on your own life and privilege and do what you can to prevent additional harm.