When I was 13 years old, my family and I visited my brother while he was abroad in Florence. I'll never forget our first day there. My sister and I were still in our Juicy Couture sweatsuits from the plane (no judgement please, it was 2009 and it was “travel chic” at the time) when my brother came to pick us up from the hotel. Eyeing our outfits, he shot us a dirty a look. Keep in mind here, my brother is no fashion guru, so this was very out of character for him.
“You’re not actually wearing those out, right?” He said.
My sister and I looked at each other, shocked.
“I can’t be seen in public with you guys dressed like that. You look so American”
Rolling our eyes, we changed into different clothes to appease our brother and ensure he wouldn’t be embarrassed by our “Americanness.”
As I continuously tripped on the cobblestone streets that first day in Florence, I quite literally fell for the city. It was breathtaking. All I wanted to do was wander its streets, taking in the sights, history, people, even the smells to absorb it all.
And what intrigued me even more than Florence was my brother. I watched as he effortlessly navigated the city like a local. Then that night, I watched as he ordered our dinner in perfect Italian, telling the waiter "grazie, grazie." Where in the world did my immature brother go? The one who thought (actually still thinks at age 28) that farting was hilarious. How did he become so cultured, so sophisticated?
As I gazed up at the beautiful Duomo the following day, with frizzy hair and metal on my teeth, I made a promise to myself that I, too, would study abroad one day—I wanted to flourish just like he did.
Somehow I am no longer that 13 year old girl, but 20 and halfway through my junior year of college. In just a few months, I will be fulfilling that promise. I have obviously done a lot of growing up since my time in Florence, and I realize that studying abroad isn’t just about living in a beautiful city and becoming “worldly.” I know it’s going to be uncomfortable and scary. And I know it will force me to question all my pre-existing institutions and beliefs, forcing me to see the world through completely new lens. Although I have loved my time here at Boston University, I’ve become far too comfortable in its bubble.
The time we spend in college is precious; the years slipping by faster than we can grasp. It’s easy to fall into a humdrum routine, surrounding yourself with the same people and places constantly. But it’s important to disturb your reality every now and then so you continue to grow. This is the time in our lives to drop everything and live in another country, learn outside an American classroom, and meet students from all across the world.
My brother decided to go abroad on a whim only a few months before, and little did he know, he would be introduced to his future wife there. While I don't intend to come home with a ring on my finger (though I wouldn’t mind a Danish boyfriend...), my brother's spontaneous decision taught me the importance of taking risks in life and the rewards that can come with it.
I debated studying abroad where the majority of BU students went, but my instincts kept luring me in a different direction (no pun intended). I ended up going with the program that scared me, but also excited me, the most. I can only hope that my time abroad allows me to recount memories in the same way my brother does today: with glistening eyes and a full heart.
