So you decided to study abroad? Are you feeling excited? Nervous? Overwhelmed? You have arrived in a country where you're not really familiar with the culture, language, and people. Trust me, it is perfectly OK to be feeling out of your element.
Everything is different, exciting, but most of all, new. You decided to go on this life changing journey and that alone is a huge step. You should be proud of yourself! During my study abroad experience, I learned that not everything will be peaches and roses. But at the same time, I learned so much about myself and life in general. So with that being said, here are the major 3 life lessons I learned from my time studying abroad.
1. I learned how to be self-reliant
Prior to studying abroad, I have NEVER traveled on my own. The thought of traveling to a foreign place terrified the living crap out of me. But I knew that I really wanted to study abroad. As much as I wanted for my mom to hop along with me, she couldn't. I put my big girl pants on and I went for it.
Looking out the view from the plane
From my time abroad, I learned to be much more observant of my surroundings and to not be afraid to ask questions. I cannot tell you how many times I got lost using the metro during my time in Spain. I learned to not rely on my classmates (who were just as clueless as me at times). I learned to take initiative when no one else would. If something didn't feel right, I would trust my gut. 9 times out of 10, I was always right. In the end, you always have to look out for yourself.
At the very beginning of my trip, I was extremely shy and nervous. I would refuse to explore the city alone. I did not want to break away from my classmates and friends. But midway during my trip, I learned that relying on others will get me nowhere and it was preventing me from truly getting the most out of my study abroad experience.
2. Getting out of your comfort zone
As silly as it may sound, I was really apprehensive to trying the food in Spain. I am pretty open-minded about a lot of things, but food is NOT one of them. I was afraid that it was going to make me sick or that I was not going to like it. Nonetheless, I put myself out there and I tried the local Spanish cuisine. It was absolutely delicious!
If you TRULY want to learn more about the country you're visiting, AVOID CHAIN RESTAURANTS AT ALL TIMES! This includes, Mcdonalds, Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King, etc. Try to force yourself to do, see, eat new things that you usually would not do back at home. You're visiting a new place so take advantage of that!
Creme Catalan with chocolate
Also another important lesson I learned is to not be afraid to do something by yourself. Often times, your classmates aren't always going to have the same interests as you. Do not let this discourage you from doing what you truly want. At first, It may seem awkward and uncomfortable doing things by yourself. I can assure you that no one will be paying attention to what you're doing. If you want to go visit that museum, go for it! If you've been dying to go sight-see the other part of the city and no one wants to go with you, then go by yourself! Life is too short. You don't want to look back on your memories and think "what if". Don't be afraid to do your own thing!
3. I gained an enormous amount of confidence
During my time in Spain, I learned to become more adaptable and resilient. Things WILL go wrong on your trip (like that one time I was pickpocketed on the metro). It is all about learning how to handle unexpected situations. Once you learn to not be afraid of the unexpected, you'll feel like you can overcome anything. It is not the end of the world if something does not go according to plan. You have to be quick on your toes and look for SOLUTIONS instead of finding someone/something to blame. Being able to bounce back from a tough situation makes you feel like you can take on anything.
After my program ended, I went to visit London on my own. I was extremely nervous and worried at first. I was scared to be alone in a completely different country where I didn't know anyone. That feeling of being scared and awkward rubbed off in the first two hours. My mind was preoccupied with all the sightseeing adventures I was doing. I had a blast traveling solo because no one was holding me back from doing what I really wanted to do. I was in charge and I was enjoying my own company. I wouldn't have been able to travel in London on my own if I didn't have confidence in myself.
Me in front of London Bridge
Having confidence gives you this newfound sense of excitement, happiness, and joy. All of the sudden you don't care what people think. You truly start living your best life.
My thoughts
I can truly say that studying abroad has completely changed my perspective on how I view the world and others. If you have made the first step in pursing study abroad, then I applaud you for making that huge decision! If you are one of the students that is interested in studying abroad, but hasn't looked into it........what are you waiting for? The world is yours, it's just up to you if you want to explore it.
Just casually posing in front of the Eiffel Tower ;)
If you want to continue following me on my study abroad journey, follow me on Instagram @500dayofcyn
Here is a super neat video for students who are fascinated with studying abroad!
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO STUDYING ABROADwww.youtube.com
