1. The Destination
Spending time away from home can be difficult, but spending time away from home to travel to a foreign country is huge. Some colleges and universities offer a ton of different locations to study abroad, and finding the one that works best for you is key.
2. The Application
An application that should take like fifteen minutes to fill out, takes three hours because you can’t believe you’re actually going through with it.
3. The Decision
Generally, if you meet the GPA requirements and your major is not deterring you from studying abroad, you’ll be accepted to the program. But, getting that official email is like a breath of fresh air. That week with no response was probably the longest week of your life.
4. The Paperwork
So. Many. Words. There’s general paperwork, paperwork about my medical history, another application for my visa and it really never ends.
5. The Packing
First you have to think about what you need to pack. Next, you have to check with your mom, dad, sister, brother, best friend and neighbor’s dog to see if they have any more ideas of what to take with you. Following a lot of thinking, maybe a list or two, you’ll probably just lay everything out on the spare bed. This step might happen six weeks ahead of time or six hours ahead of time, it all depends on what kind of person you are. Spending any time away from home with a limit of a 50lb suitcase calls for a lot of planning. Oh and then there’s the actual packing part and checking like fifty times to make sure you didn’t forget anything. That would be tragic.
6. The Preparation
For the past three months, people have been asking you if you’re ready for your trip when in reality you feel like you’ve done nothing at all. Even when you realize you’re going to be gone for four months, it never really sinks in.
7. The Day
You’ve been waiting months for this day and now that it’s finally here there’s a million emotions running through you. Of course you want to go, but you’re definitely going to miss everyone at home. Regardless, you’re getting on that plane and after that, you’ll never want to come back.
8. The Journey
This experiences includes the most exciting and incredible times of your life. You meet so many new people, explore different cultures, and do things you never thought you would do in a million years.
9. The Departure
Leaving this place you now call home is one of the hardest things you’ve ever had to do. You dodge the goodbyes, procrastinate on packing, and try to convince yourself that this isn’t your last day in this incredible country. Leaving behind something that you’re not sure you’ll ever see again is so difficult.
10. Home
Your family, favorite meals, friends, and most importantly your own bed is waiting for you. For the first couple of weeks, everything is great! You’re finally back with all of your friends and you spend time reminiscing on the incredible experience you had over seas. Nothing can replace what you felt, and then all of the sudden there’s an urge to go back, to feel what you felt the entire time you were there, to be that person where that person was most comfortable. The excitement dies down, life at home becomes what it was before you left, but the person you are now is stuck overseas.
Home is where the heart is, but abroad is where the soul sits.
