 Travel in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia fed this 2001 Cary-Grove graduate’s wanderlust. The Peace Corps provided a fulfilling solution for his desire to reach out to all people.
Bryan Long fits the definition of adventurer.He’s been to more than 15 countries across the world and lives to explore.
By Ashley Mastandrea
A 2001 graduate of Cary-Grove High School, Bryan spent much of his high school years exploring the United States. It was a 2002 meeting with legendary mountain climber Aron Ralston, best known for amputating his lower right arm after it was trapped under a boulder for five days, that inspired Bryan to pursue his dreams and not settle into a nine-to-five routine. The two adventurers remain friends, climbing together again this month.
While attending the University of Illinois, Bryan studied abroad in Australia. During his time there, he hiked the trails of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Thailand and Cambodia. This is when Bryan got his first experiences living and traveling in a different culture and he’s been seeking ways to broaden his horizons ever since.
After graduating from the University of Illinois in 2005 with a degree in urban planning and a minor in environmental science, Bryan joined the Peace Corps. He was assigned to work in the Peace Corps Municipal Development Program in San Martín Sacatepéquez, Guatemala. Bryan helped with workshops on natural disaster management and preparedness, and in conjunction with the municipality and USAID, assisted in delivering temporary housing to residents who have lost their homes in tropical storms. He used mapping software to create community-based maps and trained his local counterparts to use this software. Each of these projects used planning and coordination between locals and outside groups to raise the living standards of the local people.
Bryan’s final project for the Peace Corps was a bilingual book covering the history of San Martín Sacatepéquez. He was very proud to present his book to the indigenous people of the area with whom he was able to form rare, meaningful relationships with. "Their openness to him as an outsider in this very remote indigenous area is an example of Bryan’s compassion for them and their trust in him to hear their stories," says Bryan’s mom, Doreen Long.
Bryan finished his commitment to the Peace Corps in February and began his migration home through Mexico. On his journey home, Bryan climbed his, and Mexico’s, highest point—Pico de Orizaba at 5,640 meters (18,500 feet).
Bryan shared with us some stories from his experiences abroad and offers advice to aspiring travelers.
What is your best travel advice?
I’ll pass along some advice my friend Steve gave me: Pack half the stuff you think you need and twice the money!
As far as my travels go, I like to put myself into situations where I can have real experiences with local people. For example, on my way home from Australia, I stopped in Fiji for a week. I showed up at the airport in Fiji at 5 p.m. with no plans, no reservations and no idea what I was getting into. After befriending a local, I soon found myself at his house sitting in a circle, legs crossed, with his whole family drinking Kava, a root that is ground to make a traditional drink. It was a great, unexpected experience.
Why should people consider joining the Peace Corps?
The Peace Corps is a great starting point for anyone attempting to enter the international job market. There is no other job you can begin straight out of college that will give you the experiences and the community integration that Peace Corps is known for. If you are looking to expand your resume, have great travel experiences and want to try to save the world, Peace Corps is a great option.
How is the Peace Corps different from study abroad programs?
Spending significant time abroad is a life-changing experience. I think students who have studied abroad in college can relate to that, but Peace Corps takes that experience and brings it to another level. For me, Peace Corps has been a great transition from college to the "real world." I have a lot of freedom with the projects I work on and my schedule, but at the same time, I am a professional working in another country. Having a college degree carries a lot of weight in developing countries. People commonly approach me for the "right answer." I have learned to truly value my education and the opportunities provided in the U.S.
What were your goals for your work in San Martín Sacatepéquez?
I want the local people to see how unique their history is and how valuable their culture is. Additionally, I think Americans can learn a lot from other cultures, even from a rural Guatemalan village. Here, ties to the community, working the land and respecting the village elders are the focus of their culture. I think if we take aspects from traditional communities and combine them with our modernizing society, we would all be better off.
What are your plans for the future?
This summer, I will be working in the Western United States as a tour guide through Trek America. Eventually, I plan on returning to school to get a Masters and Ph.D. in anthropology. My work as an ethnohistorian and writer in the Peace Corps really opened me up to the field. I think being an anthropology professor would be a perfect opportunity to continue working abroad in a dynamic environment while also following a professional career course. My mom never ceases to remind me: I will have to get a real job someday!
Mom’s View—Getting Them Ready and Letting Them Go.
By Doreen Long
My husband and I have tried to keep the goal of independence in front of our children all their lives. Letting them undertake new things while trying our best to be supportive was our aim.
Bryan was able to convince us at the relatively young age of 16 that he could start traveling with minimal supervision. As his confidence in himself and his abilities grew through his travels, we could see how positively he was changed by his experiences.
When we went to visit Bryan in Sydney, Australia during his junior year at the University of New South Wales, he was able to plan our family vacation. He incorporated things that included not just sights to see but experiences to live. He wanted us to return to the states knowing the people and areas he had encountered. Bryan was able to do that for us in Guatemala and Costa Rica as well. To come away from a trip seeing a place through the eyes of local who love their country is a true gift.
I have been fortunate as a mother to have and be able to give support to other mothers of children out of the country. Email is a great tool! Whether they are gone for days, weeks or years, trying to keep your children and young adults’ dreams and passions in the forefront of your mind helps get you through some of the lonely times. Putting aside your own fears is not an easy thing to do, but being positive through all your child’s trials is so important to you both. |
