When I studied abroad in fall 2014, I did not know anyone else going on the trip. I basically went by myself, living, traveling and learning with complete strangers. Little did I know it was a blessing in disguise. There was a group of people that soon became a family. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have tried half of the things I did in Europe. So this one’s for you, guys… thank you.

Thank you for making me comfortable enough to forget about being homesick for the first couple of weeks. We were all able to say, act and do anything in front of each other whether we were being crazy, weird or laughing hysterically. The fact of being in a foreign country did not faze us and we were still able to act goofy and have fun no matter the situation.

Thank you for pressuring me to try new food. With my picky palette, this was always the most surprising event. I never thought I would try grilled calamari, truffle-infused anything, or pumpkin gnocchi and enjoy all of it. Obviously that’s not all you guys made me try, but for the most part, I liked all of the different foods that you stuffed down my face.

Thank you for getting me out of my apartment all the time. If it weren’t for you guys making me explore the city and history, I would not have seen everything that I did. Going to all of the museums and learning the history of Florence is all because of you. Not that I wouldn’t have explored the city on my own, but the number of different places we went to wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you guys.

Thank you for traveling and exploring different parts of Europe with me. Obviously, I wouldn’t have gone to half of the places I did if it weren’t for the influence of you. I certainly would not have traveled by myself either. I never thought about going to Switzerland until you persuaded me to come join the trip.

Thank you for going to my favorite place with me. Although I had already been to parts of Germany and Austria, those were my two favorite places and made sure that I went back. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to go. Thank you for listening to me say, “Oh, I love that place!” or “Wow, I remember going there!” And I won’t even mention the horrific experience with Krampus.

So, to all of my study abroad friends, thank you for everything. Thank you for making me try new things and explore the world and keeping me sane in a foreign world. The experiences and memories can never be recreated and will forever be kept close to my heart. From studying aboard, I have made some of my best friends in college, and we share a unique memory together that no one else can explain.