Goodbyes are never easy. Especially when you’re leaving to go abroad for a whole semester. Sure, you’ll make new friends and have the time of your life living in another country, but how are you going to survive without the bestie you’re leaving behind?
When you’re in the airport saying your goodbyes it seems like the six months you’re going to be abroad are going to last an eternity. You’re not only worrying about making friends abroad, dealing with classes, and trying to navigate your way through the cultural differences, but, worst of all, you’re worried about how you’re going to keep in contact with your BFF back home. Thankfully, you two won’t ever be separated for very long because of skype and social media.
When you first travel abroad, it’s okay to be scared. You most likely don’t know anyone and the new environment can definitely be intimidating. It’s okay to reach out to your friends in order to feel more at home. Even if you’re scared and feel like a deer in headlights, their excitement for you will help you to fell more comfortable. Sometimes all you need is encouragement from your friends to give you the push you need to start having fun.
There will be times when you’ll have to cancel your Skype sessions, you’ll have to like her instas where she’s having fun without you, and you’ll have to suffer through waiting hours for her to reply back to you because of the time change. But, absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Plus, everything you’re feeling, she’s experiencing too, just on the opposite side of the world.
Perhaps the worst part of a long distance friendship while abroad is that when you’re having a bad day, you can’t lean on your best friend for help. Whether it’s the physical distance or the time difference, you two might not always have immediate access to one another. While this may be a drastic change for you if you’re constantly attached at the hip, it’s a good way to strengthen friendships with the people you’ve met abroad. While you’re BFF can’t be replaced, it’s definitely okay to make other best friends abroad.
Even if your bestie can’t be there in person with you, she’ll always have your back. She’ll be there to listen to all the overseas gossip, as well as hear about all your adventures (even though hearing you talk about it probably makes her extremely jealous). Even better, she might be able to come visit you at some point, making your travels all that more exciting.
When you get back from abroad, you’ll be inseparable again. You two have to make up for a lost six months of seeing each other. Sure you’ll miss all of your friends you made while abroad, but no one could ever replace your bestie.
Traveling abroad is arguably one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll get out of college. However, it is also pretty scary. Not only are you traveling to a foreign country, with new customs and perhaps a new language, but you’re leaving all of your friends behind. But don’t worry, even if you’re separated by oceans, your friends will always find a way to be by your side.