In just about 12 days, I will embark upon one of the scariest and most exciting events of my whole life. I will be studying abroad. I will be living in a culture completely unlike my comfort zone and truly learn the meaning of challenging yourself. As that day gets closer, I have realized a roller coaster ride of thoughts.
1. "Holy. Shit."
I am going to another country where I don't speak the language, have never navigated around there, and can't even use American dollars. Holy shit--I am going to Europe. I will be thousands of miles away from home; am I really doing this? Holy shit--I just put my deposit down; no going back now.
2. "Should I pack that?"
The luxury of going to college is you get a whole truck load to pack for the year. How do I pack my life in a 50-pound suitcase? Everyone tells me not to over pack, but it is a harder task than I thought.
3. "Do I even have enough money for this?"
Studying abroad is expensive. With the books, the travel essentials, the traveling, the food--even exchanging money is expensive. And even though you slaved away your summer saving and deprived yourself of coffee to ensure you have some cha-ching does not mean you don't worry about having enough.
4. "I am going to miss my family."
Yes, when you go off to school every year, getting over that homesick feeling in the beginning is hard. But when you are in a foreign country, comfort is hard to find. Especially when making a quick call home can cost more than $10.00. Not seeing your family for a long time and only sparsely being able to talk to them is even harder.
5. "Maybe I should start planning..."
When going abroad, especially to Europe, you travel because it's cheap, fun, and a great way to see the world while you have the chance. But traveling, especially on a budget, requires a lot of planning and research. When you only have such a short amount of time to see everything, you need to plan accordingly--and it's never too early to start.
6. "Who the hell thought it was okay to send me to a foreign country?"
Yes, college did slap the adult in me, but does that mean I can live in Europe for four months? No. Mom and Dad, thank you for the faith, but are you sure I should be doing this? Because I am not always so sure I should....
7. "FOOD."
Maybe I should have done a better job dieting this summer because I want to eat my way through Europe. Pizza, pasta, gelato, oh my. When in Italy, forget the waist line.
8. "Stop saying, 'Have you seen Taken?'"
I get it: these things happen, but also, it is not very comforting to put all these scary thoughts in a person's head. I will be okay...I hope.
9. "Are we there yet?"
One of the worst parts is the waiting. Just counting down the days until you get to your destination. Time moves by painstakingly slow. But now it just feels like I am in a car ride constantly asking my parents, "Are we there yet?" and getting no response ever.
10. "I can't wait!"
This is going to be an adventure of a lifetime. Yes, it is scary and wild. But it is also going to be a time you will remember forever. The moment you touch back down in the States, you will want to go straight back.
