A plethora of thoughts and questions, both good and bad, race through my head as I pack my belongings and set everything up for my departure.

In one week, I will be embarking on my debut study abroad experience, a two-week trip to Dingle, Ireland. During my time in this foreign country, I will be taking an Irish traditional music class and indulging myself in the local culture.

I have never been to Europe, and this will be my first experience. As excited as I am to travel and experience the world outside of the northeast United States, I still have my fears and doubts.

Not on a Charlie-leaving-Philly level, but I’m still nervous.

My first and foremost fear is an expected one: being in a foreign place, the farthest away from my family I’ve ever been. Whenever I leave home, to go pretty much anywhere, my dad always says “if something happens just call me and I’ll be there!” But he can’t say that when he drops me off at the airport, for obvious reasons. For two weeks, my parents will not be in driving distance of me. They will not be able to receive a call from me and just show up.

I also have my fears about leaving the US, especially since it’s more dangerous to do so now than ever before. My destination is a relatively safe place, and the chances of something happening to my classmates and me on our trip are low, but there is still a fear. A fear of getting on a plane, a fear of leaving the country where we are legally protected, a fear of putting ourselves at risk.

But if we’re talking risks, there are plenty of those in the US, and even in our own homes. Experiencing life and living it to the fullest involves taking risks, and we just need to do whatever is in our power to keep ourselves safe.

The rest is up to, well…someone else.

My other concerns are minor, varying from fears about wifi and cell service (which are apparently spotty at my destination of travel), to trying to understand Euros, to being a fully functioning independent human being. But these worries will be resolved upon my arrival, I’m sure.

So I’m going to a foreign country alone for the first time in my life. I’m going with a group of students on a school-sponsored trip, and yes, I have my fears, but more importantly, I have my excitements.

I’m excited about the class I will be taking in Dingle, Introduction to Irish Traditional Music. I will be learning how to play the tin whistle and will most certainly bring my treasured instrument back to my dorm hall for all to hear when I return to the states.

I know we’re learning, well, traditional Irish music, but I’m sure I’ll be able to pick up a rendition of “My Heart Will Go On” in no time.

But the thing I’m most excited about is getting to explore a brand new place. I’ll be taking pictures, meeting locals, trying new foods and drinks, and immersing myself in the culture.

All my life, I’ve absolutely loved going to new places and meeting new people. This trip will be an opportunity to do both, and as my first study abroad experience, I hope it’s a good enough experience that it won’t be my last.

I love new places and people not just because they are a great way to experience life, but they also provide for good stories. As a writer, I strive for new experiences that will widen my worldview and inspire my future work.

For the past eight years, I have been fortunate enough to go on a cruise every summer with my family. There is no doubt in my mind that if I didn’t have those experiences under my belt, my writing would be nowhere near where it is today. I still have a ways to go, but my exposure to travel, new people, and new cultures have helped tremendously.

Here’s to another experience for the books.