Studying abroad was undoubtedly the best decision I have ever made and the greatest experience of my life. And that is exactly why it ruined my life. You spend a few weeks, months, years in a country that you grow to love and become attached to. And then you blink your eyes and it's all over. You spend the rest of your days reminiscing on this fantastical journey, only to realize that the journey was actually real life and wasn't just the best dream ever. Here are things that contribute to the fact that studying abroad ruins your life in the best way possible:
1. You meet hundreds of people that unintentionally make a impact on your life.
Some of them are brief interactions and some of them become lifelong friends. The nice Spanish waiter who bought you a glass of wine and the sweet Irish lady who helped you call a taxi. And the French strangers I met in Portugal who soon became my dear friends and are planning to visit in Paris next year. They all mean the world to you, because they both played a role in the best months of your life.
2. One word: FOOD.
The new and exciting tastes of the food that is so authentic and different is incredible. And the possibilities for new dishes are endless. You get the real life, original versions of the dishes good ol' America the Melting Pot has recreated over time. Let me tell you, there is nothing like a Belgium waffle that is actually made in Belgium.
3. Gaining 15 pounds in two months isn't acceptable anymore.
"Paige! So good to see you! How was being abroad?"
"HOW DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT WAS, JESSICA. IT WAS F*CKING DELICIOUS, OK."
4. You realize how boring of a life you actually lived before you left abroad.
Back before you traveled to new countries every other weekend, basking in the joy of new bars, new clubs, new foods, and new friends.
5. People think you're actually interesting because you're the one with the accent.
And no matter how hard you try to pretend you're not an American, they know...
6. The drinking age.
You get a beer! You get a beer! Everybody gets a beer!
7. The alcohol.
Similar to the food, there is no alcohol like alcohol that is made in the country you are in. It's fresher, more tasteful. It is beautiful.
8. It's no longer acceptable to be roaming the streets intoxicated like the tank of a European drinker you have become...
"You mean to tell me that public intoxication is not only frowned upon, but illegal?"
9. You learn so much more than the academics you are studying. You learn about life.
You learn about culture, food, history, politics, friendship, transportation, living on your own, and adapting to new environments. The list truly goes on.
10. You spend the first half of your time acquiring skills for transportation around the continent, and once you've got it down, it's time to leave.
Oh, you've finally nailed The Tube map in London? Time to throw you back in the U.S., where that is completely irrelevant.
11. You grow personally attached to the country you studied in.
It is your second home and the place you had some of the best moments. That country became second nature and means as much to you as your first born will.
12. You've grown so personally attached that you believe that is your ethnicity.
MOM, I DON'T CARE WHAT GRANDPA SAYS, WE ARE IRISH, DAMMIT.
13. You become accustomed to thinking that traveling to different countries is actually quite simple and cheap.
BRB, I'm going to fly to Germany for the weekend real quick for 100 bucks. No big deal.
14. You come back with a deadly disease called PSAD: Post Study Abroad Depression.
No, but seriously...
15. You live in denial that the best months of your life are over.
Thanks for everything, Europe. You were my first love.
