I have less then 30 days until I get on a plane and flee this country. I could not be more excited for my study abroad experience, but there are several attitudes I have before I officially get on the plane.
Until then, it is a push to the finish. It's kind of like being a senior in high school. I knew there will be hard work and new learning experiences ahead, but right now I am in the grudging transition stage. I know there is a lot to be done in terms of school work but I do not yet have the motivation to achieve it. There are papers to write and finals to study for, but there are also clothes to pack and hostiles to book. I mean, if anyone had to choose between viewing pictures of the mountains in Salzburg and viewing a seven page-paper, I think most people would choose the first option.
Meanwhile, nostalgia is high. For most of my friends at college, this is the last time they will see me until next fall. We will still have Skype and Facetime and all the technology in the world to get us through. But we will still miss the sound of a pure laugh and the feeling a goodbye hug. I will miss our lunches and coffee chats during the downtime between classes. This will be my first time traveling abroad, having an ocean separate me from my loved ones.
One lucky thing about traveling abroad in the spring rather than the winter is I will not really miss any important events. I will get one final round of holidays with my family before I go overseas (first Thanksgiving, then Christmas, and then New Year's). This will give me the opportunity to be with the ones I love one last time. Sure I will miss birthdays and the graduation of some of my senior friends, but there is nothing that can compare with being home for the holidays.
But in preparation for my departure, there are still several things I need to do. There are still converters to be bought and socks to pack. There are still Christmas presents to deliver and finals to take. However, there is also the anticipation that is setting in. Will I know how to get around a new city and country? Will people laugh at my attempt to speak German? Will I get jet-lagged or homesick? The answer to all these questions is probably yes... but I am okay with that.
Studying abroad has always been a goal I had before I entered college. Now I am excited to begin my new journey and finish a chapter in my college career. There is no telling what the future will bring. I do know that as long as I prepare and finish my semester strong, I have a whole new adventure awaiting me.
