3 Months Abroad

This past fall I set out to live and study in a completely different country for the first time ever. I’ll be honest I was scared. Of course I was also excited, but I’ll admit I had that sinking feeling in my stomach as my plane from Seattle took off. But, I’m glad to say that that fear disappeared very soon after I settled in Barcelona.

It’s crazy how much you can learn and see in just 3 months. About different cultures, world history, people, and yourself. It sounds cliche, but I truly felt like I had changed after this experience. I learned that although I love traveling, I also love my home. I learned how to be resourceful and navigate around the very confusing neighborhoods of the city. It’s easy to take for granted all the little things in life, like being able to speak to the repairman or your landlord, having a car to haul all your groceries home, or having a dryer in your house. But I think most importantly, studying abroad made me grow up.

I’m not saying I wasn’t responsible before, but living in a new country, with a completely different language and culture, across the globe forces you to be even more independent. You have to reconstruct a new you. People don’t know who you are, where you come from, or what your hopes and dreams are. This might not be a new thing for some college students who move across the country for school, but for me it was. I was born and raised in the Seattle area, so moving away to a different country was a complete shock.

Yet, this experience was one I wouldn’t trade for anything. In these 3 months, I made some lifelong connections, saw some beautiful sites, learned so much about world history, and had some amazing food. Given the opportunity to study abroad, I believe everyone should take it. It’s hard and scary, but oh so worth it.

Thanks for sticking through my ramblings. I’ll be putting together travel guide posts from my time abroad very soon, so keep a look out for them!