If you've ever studied abroad you quickly realize that when you return home you will be asked the same handful of questions. "How was the food?", "Were you able to communicate with people?", "What was the weather like?". Like a robot, you answer these questions over and over again. "The food was amazing!", "It was hot, but it was nice" ⎯ these conversations are fine, but it only scratches the surface of your experience abroad. Once you return, you can no longer eat the delicious food or experience the everyday life of living in a different country. So what are you left with?
In those everyday moments that you experienced there were challenges you faced and new people you encountered that shaped you into the person you are now. Maybe the new food you ate made you realize you have a passion for cooking. Maybe that one time when you got in an argument with a passenger revealed that you don't have a lot of patience. Being in a new environment, it gives you the ability to really reflect on yourself and pushes you to do things you may have never done back home. When you get out of your comfort zone it pushes you to grow.
Living in a culture completely different from your own gave you the chance to perceive life from a different view. When you were immersed within the culture and the people, it taught you something that could never be learned in a textbook. It gave you an understanding and empathy for things you never understood before. It made you more adaptable to new situations. It opened up a bridge between two cultures that you always be connected to.
Studying abroad gave you the chance to meet people across the globe. If you had never gone abroad you may have never met them. And now, they are lifelong friends that you will always cherish. Even though you may have fought and cried together it was in those moments that you learned how to communicate better. When there were language barriers you got creative with your communication. Though you all came from different cultures the connection you made went beyond borders. It showed you that the similarities you shared as humans went beyond the differences you had.
Your favorite bakery may be thousands of miles away now and so may the friends you made, but without those experiences, you wouldn't be the person you are today. They will always be a part of you and that is something that should never be taken for granted. So, when someone asks how your time abroad was they may not want to hear your whole life-changing story, but at least you know it was an experience you will always cherish.
