This past Spring was a once in a lifetime experience. I got to travel to nine different countries, make memories with some of my best friends, and grow so much as a person. While I cannot say that going abroad went without sacrifice, it was still a journey I am glad I embarked on.
Getting to travel abroad on my own was truly the biggest learning experience. Going to a new country every weekend and figuring out how to navigate your way through the unknown, communicate with people who speak an entirely different language, and having to deal with the "hiccups" all on your own really make you test your limits. I am now confident that I could travel anywhere in the world successfully and more than that, I know that I am able to face even the most difficult problems with a calm logical approach.
I think my favorite part of the program was getting to travel. I will never again have the chance to spend four months just traveling around the world, and especially at such a low expense. I am so grateful for all the support I had during this experience both financially and morally. Although it was a stressful time to be abroad, it was eye opening to the opinions and problems facing the world, not just Europe, the world. The cultural knowledge I gained on this trip was truly valuable. Much like at home where there are several varied opinions, the world is a melting pot of different cultural views, political systems, and lifestyles that definitely don't make sense to us all, but there is a beautiful respect that you find when you get to emerge yourself in all of it.
The most difficult part of the trip were the sacrifices I had to make. Leaving my family and friends behind for an entire semester was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do. I went from a world of the most supportive and intentional best friends to my engineering clan. Don't get me wrong, I love my engineering friends with all my heart, but there is an innate competitiveness that comes with an engineering degree which tends to be exaggerated when you trap 20 some engineers across the ocean together for four months. I went from getting to spend regular quality time with my boyfriend (okay yes I know this is super cliche and annoying but stick with me) to only getting a skype date once a month.
The most difficult part was having to leave my family for so long. The real pain came after I got home. Within hours of getting off the plane I learned that my grandma, my best friend, my rock was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that had metastasized only four days after I arrived in Europe. The entire time I was over there I had no idea what my family was going through back home. I was absolutely devastated. This woman is my biggest role model and the strongest person I know, I didn't understand how or why something like this would happen to her. What was worse is that I couldn't be there to help her through any of it. The news definitely gave me a new perspective on my journey abroad. My family neglected to tell me about my grandma's situation until I was home, so that I would be able to enjoy my time abroad. They knew I was already having a hard time being away from home, and that learning about the news would have me on a plane in hours. On one hand I am glad that they waited to tell me, because I know that I will never get another experience like this again. However, on the other hand and outweighing my previous statement, I truly deeply wish I would have known. I would've given anything to be back at home by my grandma's side. She is way more important to me and the trip just wasn't worth not being there for her. That being said, I do need to clarify, my choice to go home would have had everything to do with timing. Knowing what I know now, I would have most definitely planned to return to Europe to complete a study abroad program.
Yes, it is true that I regret going abroad when I did, but I do not regret the experiences that I gained and ways I grew as a person. The program was by no means perfect, but I think the imperfections are where I gained the most knowledge. If it was easy, if it was a perfect trip, sure it would have been less stressful, but that wouldn't have pushed us all into learning more about ourselves.
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