Visiting different countries is a fun and exciting activity for the summer months. Whether you plan a family vacation, a honeymoon, or do a study abroad program with your school, traveling has all kinds of benefits. This summer, I am lucky enough to be participating in a study abroad program to the beautiful and historically rich country of Spain and there have definitely been some ups and downs!
Depending on where you travel abroad, always count on a long plane ride. This is probably one of the main things I dislike about traveling. The plane ride to Madrid from Washington, D.C. was about eight hours long, which meant eight hours of sitting in one place, squished between two other passengers in small metal object rocketing through the sky. I'm not scared of flying or anything, I actually love flying but what I don't like is having to sit there for hours with nothing to do because it is impossible for me to sleep on a plane. If you think you might be like this also, maybe try finding flights that connect in different cities so that you only have a couple of three hour flights instead of a 10 hour one.
If you are planning a trip to a non-English speaking country, study the language! Trust me, it will be worth it. I took one year of beginning Spanish and still wasn't prepared. The first day was such an anxiety-filled culture shock even with what little I did know, so I can only imagine going to a country with absolutely no experience with the language. But the upside to this is that being immersed in a new language and culture is an excellent way to learn. Just in the first week, I have learned so much that I probably could not have learned in just a classroom setting. Talking to my host mom and ordering a coffee were such difficult tasks the first day I arrived, but now it's a breeze because I have had many opportunities to practice. Honestly, I didn't have any choice but to practice because it was rare for me to find someone who spoke and understood English wherever I went. But luckily, I have met some great people here in Spain who encourage me to practice and not to be afraid to make mistakes.
Something else that is different in every country is the culture. Before traveling to a new place, it's always a good idea to do research on the culture and customs. Something that I found very different is the everyday manners of people. I come from a place of Southern hospitality so it was very strange to me that people would brush right past me and bump into me without apologizing. Also, I always hold the door open for people whenever I go somewhere so the fact that someone would see me directly behind them and then proceed to push the door, letting it shut in my face was completely bizarre to me. But now I realize that's just the culture here and I have since gotten used to it.
All in all, traveling is one of the best things you can do in life. Through my travels, I have learned so much and have gotten the chance to see amazing things. I wouldn't change my experience for the world!
