Missing flights, getting pickpocketed and a heavy travel backpack. Whether you are preparing for your journey abroad or are reminiscing as you scroll through months of old phone pictures, we can all agree that studying abroad in a foreign country is the worst.
Submersing yourself into a new culture can be hard. Learning a new way of life takes some adjustments, but the worst result is that you will become all too cultured after weeks in a foreign country.
What is even worse than adjusting to your surroundings is adjusting to new rules. Pretty much all other countries have different rules than here in the USA. It’s a shame that the drinking age is eighteen and clubs and bars don’t charge a cover.
Local pedestrians might come to your rescue if you look lost. In other countries humans are much nicer; I hate that crap.
You don’t have all the comfort of American fast food; you will have to eat fresh Italian paninis, try local mom and pop cuisine and shop at a fresh market for your produce.
“I don’t know anyone from my school going abroad.” Some of the best relationships and friendships come from adventures abroad, but why would I talk to any of these people when we return back to campus?
Don’t get me started on museum trips. Ancient ruins, stained glass and soldier replicas from the Spanish Civil War totally do not help hands-on and visual learning at all.
Döner kebab is the worst drunk food ever invented.
Most American cell phone carriers charge insane international fees, so students can’t use phones outside of Wi-Fi. Shopping or dinner won’t be interrupted by iPhone alerts.
Not having class on Friday is a plus until the program drags you on a trip to the beach, the zoo or even a wine tasting. What is better… a desk and laptop or a scenic, small town vineyard tour?
Your feet hurt from walking everywhere. Getting places takes extra time and sometimes you have to dodge crowds taking pictures on the thousand-year-old historic bridge.
“I have no clue what they are trying to tell me.” Yes there is a language barrier, but the worst is exposing yourself to learn a second language. That will get you nowhere in life after studying abroad.
After seeing what is so bad about studying abroad, why is it such a popular and cool college trend?