Studying abroad is an experience that everyone should have at least once. I understand that it is not the cheapest thing you can spend your money on, but I do not regret a cent I spent. Studying abroad allows for you to take classes in a different country, experience a new and exciting place and make some amazing friends. If you are debating whether or not you should study abroad, I strongly urge you to go. If you have studied abroad, however, here are a few things you know to be true:
1. You form new friendships.
Maybe you went on the trip with people you knew, maybe you went with people who were strangers—regardless, you grow close to everyone on the trip so much so that you have a hard time saying goodbye once it's over.
2. You see some breathtaking sites.
The places you get to see while studying abroad are incomparable, to say the least. You try and take pictures, but they don't do it justice. You can try to explain what you see abroad to your friends and family back home, but none of it will compare to seeing it up close and in person. Oftentimes, you find yourself simply standing in awe at what is in front of you and feeling like the luckiest person in the world to be able to experience it.
3. You eat some amazing food.
One of the best parts about studying abroad is the amazing food that you get to try. You end up spending most of your money on food, but it is oh so worth it.
4. You try new things.
Studying abroad allows for endless opportunities to discover new things. From various foods, adventures, stores and transportation, the possibilities are endless for the new experiences you'll have while abroad.
5. Oftentimes, "class" involves sightseeing.
You're one of the lucky ones. You get to go to take a class in a foreign country. This usually involves you learning something in class and being fortunate enough to then go and see the very thing you learned about. Not many people get the chance to have the streets of Florence, London, Dublin, etc. as their classroom.
6. You learn to appreciate home.
As much as where you are staying has become your home away from home, you find yourself missing certain things like street signs you can understand and currency that doesn't involve math. Plus, you find yourself appreciating the little things that you may have took for granted at home, like your bed, your car, your parents and your dog.
7. You get to meet people from around the world.
You may travel to one country, but that doesn't limit the people you meet to be just natives of that country. Oftentimes, you meet people from all around the world. These people are usually the cause of some of your best memories and your funniest stories.
8. You find yourself using the slang the locals use.
If you stay in a foreign place for an extended period of time, you're bound to adapt to the language of the country you're in. It isn't until you get home and say "cheers, mate" aloud that you think maybe it's time to give it a rest.
9. You find yourself taking pictures of everything.
A picture has the power to capture a moment in time that we may never get the chance of experiencing again. Especially if that moment is the beautifully plated pasta sitting in front of you.
10. You adapt to being without social media.
Being abroad means not being able to use your phone 24/7. It's no reason to complain, though—you know you'd rather experience the trip without being glued to your phone.
11. But when you see a "Free Wi-Fi," you instantly gravitate toward it.
Listen, no one can afford a crazy international data plan. So Wi-Fi is important if you want to make a phone call home, or quickly post a picture of your food for the 1,000th time.
12. You learn to function without your parents.
Being away from your family for a long time is one thing, being away from them while thousands of miles away is another. It forces you to grow up and learn how to survive without them.
13. You learn about different cultures.
People in different countries not only speak differently but they eat at different times than you, have different social norms, different ways of greeting each other, different ways of acting in public, different ways of eating in a restaurant (like no ice, what is that?) and you find yourself picking up on all of these things.
14. You learn to accomplish as many things as possible in one day.
You end up packing so much into each day that by the time you get back in your room, you fall asleep within seconds, only to do it all again the next day.
15. As hard as you tried, you end up being "those obnoxious Americans."
You were warned before you went about how Americans are viewed as loud and obnoxious. You swore to yourself you wouldn't fit into this stereotype. But you're traveling with a large group of Americans, so it was bound to happen.
16. You end up buying way more than you anticipated.
You saved up for this trip, or at least that's what you tell yourself to justify all your spending. Plus, those exchange rates are no joke. By the time you get home and check your bank account, you realize that you can never spend another cent again.
17. You learn how to pack only necessities.
Having to pack everything you'll need to live away in a foreign country in under 50 pounds really forces you to decide what is and is not important.
18. You create memories that will last you a lifetime.
You met some amazing people, saw some beautiful places and made memories that you will have with you forever.
19. You become more open-minded.
You find yourself becoming open to meeting new people, trying new things, adapting to situations and becoming more spontaneous. All of which would not be able to happen if you were close-minded.
20. As much as your glad to go home, you immediately want to go back.
It's completely normal to get home and immediately want to go back. It doesn't mean that you miss home any less, it just means that you had one of the greatest experiences of your life and would give anything to do it again.
