Thinking About Going Abroad?

Deciding whether or not you want to go abroad is a personal decision. There are some who have known all their lives that they were going to study abroad and there are others who were never quite sure how they'd feel until the time came. If you're in that second category, let me try and convince you that going abroad will be the single best decision of your entire life. Of course, I am biased. I recently returned from studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain, where I spent the best 4 months of my life. I want this post to help convince others who are hesitating to take a leap of faith.

                           My first glimpse of Barcelona out the plane window

So, why study abroad? There are obvious reasons which you can find by doing a Google search, but here are some of my own...

1. It's important to step outside your element and experience a culture completely different from your own. America is a very sheltered place and we often don't realize there's a whole other world out there. Living in another country will allow you to experience things you never could have while reading books and watching movies, or even while traveling on vacation for a short period of time. Culture, can only be truly experienced when you are immersed in it.

2. You can learn a new language or improve your current language skills. If you chose to study in a country where English is not the first language, like I did, living in that country will literally force you to become better. Whether you're trying to figure out the Metro system, using the ATMs or going food shopping, you will be forced to improve your language skills. You won't even realize how much you've improved until the end of your time abroad.

3. Studying abroad will be a catalyst for other abroad travels. Wherever you chose to study abroad, there will be opportunities for travel. At no other time in your life will you be able to so cheaply and quickly travel to so many different countries in such a short period of time. When booking flights within Europe, I would recommend Vueling or Ryan Air and for train passes and tickets use EuroRail. The possibilities for travel are endless and studying abroad will allow you to visit more places than you ever thought possible.

For me, the best 4 months of my life were when I was studying, living, learning, socializing and traveling during my time in Barcelona. I met friends who I know I will be close with for life. I had experiences which I will never even come close to re-living again. I saw people, places and things which were unique and unable to be replicated. I fell in love with Barcelona, my study abroad city. If you go, I promise, you will fall in love with your city too. Don't be afraid to leave your friends and your school behind -- they will be there when you get back. Take a leap, hop on a plane and GO!