This blog was written by Global Gap Fellow Felix Soto.
In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. “Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” He didn’t actually say that. Those are the opening lines to my favorite book, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is also my father’s favorite book, so he often reminds me of Mr. Caraway’s words. Sometimes, I sit on a stool in the evening while my father cooks. We’ll talk about our days, which usually end with me complaining about someone from school or work or town. Occasionally, my father stops me and asks, “What did F. Scott say?” Then I repeat what he wrote. My father’s interjection is never to discredit my feelings or to justify the inexcusable; he merely wants me to see things beyond what is apparent. He hopes to foster a compassion and hope that only comes from reserving judgments. It is this hope I will try to carry with me while abroad, where I aim to apply the lessons from The Great Gatsby to my experiences and interactions, mainly how to win back my long-lost lover by throwing parties funded by my bootlegging.
I should explain what I think I’ll be doing abroad. Short answer: Horses. Long answer: Animalia Chordata Mammalia Perissodactyla Equidae Equus caballus. That is the complete taxonomy classification of horses. Horses are majestic, and I hope I can help them live their best lives and be healthy. As part of this, I will be assisting a vet and dealing with the daily care a horse requires. Traveling is a secondary motive for this experience; however, I also hope that distance from family and friends will allow me to define myself on my terms, not just in relation to those around me. As per the requirements of this fellowship, I will post updates on this journey via this blog. Nick Caraway is an unreliable narrator when describing the summer of 1922, which adds depth to the novel, a complexity that the straight truth can not portray. I am not saying I will be an unreliable narrator, but I will say I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.