In less than two short months I will be boarding my flight to the beautiful and historic city of Florence, Italy, where I will be spending my spring semester abroad! I am feeling anxious, curious, and scared, but ultimately SO excited for this experience. However, making this huge decision was not done without much thought and consideration. After performing an extensive amount of research, asking experienced travelers for their input, and assembling many pros and cons lists, I ultimately made my decision for these reasons:
1. Wanderlust – Since I came to college, I’ve met so many individuals who came from different backgrounds, who have traveled to many places, and who have had life-changing experiences abroad. Hearing their stories fueled my desire to travel the world!
2. To step out of my comfort zone – Throughout my life, I have always been one to play it safe and not take risks. Leaving everything I know behind is not going to be easy in the slightest; however, I realized that this is a great opportunity to take a step out of my comfort zone and see what the world has to offer!
3. To experience a new culture and get a different perspective of the world – I have only been out of the country once when I went on a trip to Costa Rica offered through my high school. I had an amazing experience; however, since we were only there for nine days, I didn’t get to fully immerse myself in the culture. By going to a foreign country whose people live different lifestyles than we do and whose native language is not English, I hope to gain a new perspective on the world around me.
4. To face my fears – Facing my fears will, without a doubt, help me grow as an individual. So many things about this experience scare me, especially leaving my family, friends, and basically my whole life behind for three and a half months. One of my favorite teachers once said to me, “Do what you fear,” and that has really stuck with me. Facing my fears has turned out well for me in the past, and I am confident that it will do the same in the future.
5. In the words of Lizzie McGuire, why not?! – Sorry, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to insert a Lizzie McGuire reference in here. “Why not?” was the ultimate question I asked myself before making my decision, along with “Will I regret it if I don’t go?” When else will I have an opportunity to live in a foreign country for an extended period of time at this low of a price? The answer is never.
Though it took a lot of time and consideration to make my decision, I can already tell that I chose wisely. While I will definitely miss my family, friends, the University of Pittsburgh, and America in general, I know that this experience will be worthwhile, fulfilling, and life changing!