Studying abroad (or even backpacking and traveling in general) is a life-changing experience for the person who embarks on the adventure. For his or her peers, however, the experience comes with skepticism. Adults tend to respond to talk of study abroad with, “Oh yeah. Study abroad. I’m sure you’ll be doing a lot of studying as you’re flouting about ________.” This remark is typically accompanied by an awkward laugh, and a forced confirmation of the comment. However—contrary to popular belief—it is indeed possible to learn while abroad. Sure, the studying isn’t all class related, but that isn’t to say that studying abroad is just a glamorous traipse across the world. It comes with its ups and downs, and it teaches you valuable lessons. So, for those of you who are convinced that studying abroad is just a big party, here’s what you really need to know:
Yes, drinking will be involved. But it will be done legally. Just to be clear, the drinking age in most European countries is 18. Moreover, drinking in many places abroad is a huge part of the culture. In Italy or Spain, accompanying dinner with wine is tantamount to accompanying mashed potatoes with gravy in the United States. Moreover, many places are known for their alcoholic beverages. To go to these places without indulging in what they’re famous for would be a travesty. If you’re going to try the chocolate and cheese in Interlaken, you should try the absinthe in Prague or the beer in Munich.
Yes, studying (gasp!) will be involved. My study abroad workload brought multiple papers, projects, and exams to my little European desk. I studied and prepared for this as much (if not more) as I would if I were at my local university. In fact, I learned more practical knowledge about the world in my abroad classes than I did in some of my classes at school during the regular semester.
Yet that studying isn’t what taught me the most. I learned so much just by going into museums, taking tours, and reading descriptions of everything I was seeing. The sightseeing I did during the day opened my eyes to a world completely unfamiliar to me. It’s easy to get caught in a bubble, and for many of the adults that criticize study abroad, that’s exactly what they live in. When there were multiple terrorist attacks in Europe, I felt much more alarmed than I would have in the United States, because I felt the repercussions of them. When Greece first experienced its monetary crisis, I had just left, and wondered about what the friends I recently made there thought about it. I went from being separate from the happenings of the world to being a part of them. And that doesn’t happen at home.
The people abroad are unforgettable. Sure, I’ve had candid conversations with strangers in the United States. But abroad, every person I met has been special in his or her own way. I could put a name and a face to almost every cab driver, tour guide, waiter, or school administrator I met, and tell you his or her story. Also, from roommates to classmates to travel buddies, the friends I’ve made abroad are ones I know I’ll share memories and a special bond with for the rest of my life. Most importantly, I’ve learned so much about myself just by conversing with other people, and broadening the scope of my thinking.
It’s tiring. At home, it’s easy to hop in my car and drive wherever I need to go. Abroad? Walk, take the metro, or pay 30 Euro’s for a cab. Walking and taking the metro was pretty simple once I figured it out, but it was time consuming, and it required me to actually think, “Okay. Where do I need to go? What’s the closest station to there, and what’s the closest station to where I am now?” Moreover, with long bus rides, museums, and walking tours on top of studying, keeping an apartment clean, and various classes, studying abroad is the closest thing to living in the “real world” I’ve experienced.
It’s inspiring. In world where the options are endless, it’s becoming more and more difficult to decide on a career path this early in life. As college students, we’ve been pressured to have our entire life figured out at this point, but only in the superficial context. We’re supposed to know what our major is, where we’ll be working, and what we want to do with our lives. The beautiful thing about studying abroad is that it requires you to dig deeper; to think about what really makes you happy and what makes you feel alive. For some people, it’s the adrenaline rush of skydiving they experienced in Switzerland. For others, it’s the feeling of inspiration they felt when they saw a particular painting. Regardless of what exactly the drawing factor may be, self-discovery is a crucial part of growing up, and practicality isn’t always the way to get there.
It teaches you the three p’s: patience, planning, and proficiency. These three traits cannot be taught using books. They can only be learned through experience. Have you ever tried to converse with someone who you don’t share a common language with? It requires patience to communicate what you want to say. Have you ever lived with the same people for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and ___ days a year? Again, patience is required. Have you ever wanted to fly to a different country every weekend? It requires careful planning to figure out plane times, train times, and accommodation. Have you ever tried to catch a train with only two minutes to spare or to pack a bag under a certain weight? Proficiency is required to complete these tasks.
All in all, yes, study abroad is an entertaining time—a time I feel privileged to have experienced. Nonetheless, as much as it was enjoyable, it wasn’t as much of a party as you may think (and if it was, well… I learned other things along the way). So think twice the next time you laugh at someone who says he/she is “studying” abroad! That person is likely to learn more in a short time than most people learn in a lifetime.
