Once I survive a ridiculously long plane flight accompanied by my neck pillow and sleep mask, I will be thrown into a completely different world. During my study abroad, I will be going to 15 cities in 7 different European countries. Oh ya I forgot to mention, that's all in 6 weeks. Not only have I never been to Europe, but I don't speak a word of any of the languages that I will be encountering.
I have a lot of expectations and fears about this journey and I know a lot of them will be completely different than what I actually experience. I know that this is going to be an opportunity of a lifetime and I plan to make the most of it.
One of the things I am most excited about is making new friends. I know that sounds like I'm an 8 year old going away to summer camp but, I don't know a lot of the people traveling with me and I am so excited to get close to them. We will all be out of our comfort zone and I know we will bond very fast. Most of these kids are people I've spent two years on campus with and never spoken a word to. I am excited to go back on campus and have a whole new group of friends.
I am also planing on meeting a lot of people form the countries I visit. I don't think I'll be riding off into the sunset on the back of a vespa with a greek man, but I wouldn't object. I want to meet people and be able to learn about their culture and maybe even pick up a few words of their language. I can't wait to sit in cafes sipping coffee and watch the world go by.
I am also planning on expanding my taste buds. I basically have the diet of a 10 year old child. I like to call myself a simple eater instead of a picky eater, but I'm hoping that will change. I'm either going to have to expand my eating habits or die of starvation and I think i'll take the second option.
I know I will see some amazing sights. The architecture, water, and art is all going to be the most amazing things I've seen in my life. I don't want to live behind my go pro or iPhone camera, but I do need to remember to stop and take pictures of the incredible things I see.
I'm about to stuff the last things in my bag and pray that it doesn't weigh over 50 pounds. As cliche as it sounds, I know I am going to come back from this experience with a new outlook on life and so many amazing memories. I'm planning on getting a lot more out of this trip than way too much gelato and pizza.