As everyone who has studied abroad will tell you, it changes your life and enhances your understanding of who you are and where you want to go in your life. Whether it's to study your second language, your academic passion, or just to immerse yourself in another culture, choosing to study abroad will change the way you see the world around you. It will also make you see some new things about the US.
1. "I wonder if they have (insert amazing foreign food here) at World Market / Trader Joe's / anywhere in the U.S.?
2. "Public transportation in the U.S. is the absolute worst."
Pretty self-explanatory, but this one will be most applicable to everyone who has travelled in Europe, and comes back to remember that inexpensive trains to everywhere are not a thing, and it doesn't only take a few hours to get to another country.
3. "I wish we had youth hostels in the US."
Travel? Inexpensive? Economical? Only a little bit sketchy? Every twenty-something's dream.
4. "Wow, this coffee is worse than I remember."
When you've had coffee and espresso from the leading caffeine dealers of the world (Italy, Costa Rica, Columbia, etc.), it's hard to get used to drinking your normal cup of Starbucks without reminiscing on the good times a little bit, when you, a frequent Frappuccino drinker, sipped black coffee like a delicacy.
5. "I miss boys with accents."
Accents are to American woman what cheese is to a mouse. Once or twice upon returning home to the US of A, falling for a good-old American boy will be accompanied by the occasional "if he only had an accent" daydream. This is a
lso applicable to female humans, like my girl-crush Sophia Vergara.
6. "Am I pronouncing that right?"
Often, after you return from a long trip where you have been immersed in your host country's language, you lost some of your English language expertise. Wait, is it pronounced "yama" or "llama"? Catch yourself pronouncing English words in your host country's language, and you'll know you took a little piece of your host country home with you.
7. "That's not even real (insert your country here) food!"
This one particularly bugged me with "Mexican" food. The air quotes around "Mexican" are absolutely necessary, especially when real Mexican food looks more like this rather than your standard, garden variety, Taco Bell.
*thanks to La Hacienda Nashville for this deliciousness (lahanashville.com)
8. "If I swear in (insert host country's language here), does it still count?"
This one's a habit that is hard to outgrow. When you get used to speaking in another language, you learn the culture and often the slang term for voicing your frustration. In your return from the trip, your swearing will have gotten much worse, and may be hard to break.
9. "Nutella is so much better than chocolate."
NUTELLA EVERYWHERE. Although it is making its break in the US, Nutella has been the popular condiment of many foreign countries for decades, and even is more popular than the chocolate sweet flavor that most Americans are accustomed to. You might carry the obsession with this sweet spread back with you across the seas, so beware.
10. "I sure hope my credits transfer."
Number one concern when returning from a study abroad? Definitely wondering if your school will actually recognize your hard work and amazing journey on your transcript with all your expected credits.
11. "(Your host country)'s TV shows are SO MUCH BETTER than American TV shows."
Specifically European game shows and Latin American telenovelas. Because there’s nothing more interesting than a transexual pageant queen winning a beauty contest, an English version of The Hills, and a girl from the slums of Mexico getting adopted by a rich businessman.
(Only a telenovela could make eating shrimp this dramatic).
12. "Am I talking too much about (insert cool thing you did in your host country here)?"
“Have I mentioned” that I got to climb the Aztec pyramids? Did I?” Yeah, only a thousand times.
13. "I am never partying ever again."
Even though this one usually turns out to be a lie, it starts off as well-intentioned. After watching your friends take advantage of the lower legal drinking age (in basically everywhere besides the US), you are probably going to decide that frat parties and pre-game ragers are not for you. Unless you like throwing up and hangovers…
14. "I miss my host family and friends."
If you had the privilege of living with a host family while studying abroad, your time with them is probably going to be some of the best memories of your adventure. In all of your life, the family and the friends who took you in when you were in an unfamiliar place will always make you feel loved.
15. "When can I go back?"
Because you will always carry a piece of your host country along in your heart, and credit them with giving you the strength to tackle your journey.
