At this very moment last year, I had never stepped foot outside of the United States and I was filled with anxiety about a spur-of-the-moment decision I’d made months earlier to take a trip to 7 different countries during the month of May. I (thankfully) knew one other person going on the trip, but thoughts of getting on a plane and spending weeks in countries that didn’t speak English left me up at night far too often.
On May 8th, I boarded a plane to Sofia, Bulgaria. I’ll admit it…I cried from the second my parents dropped me off at the airport through the entire first hour of the flight. I have no shame. But the adventure that was waiting for me made the months of nerves and the hours of tears completely worth it.
During the month I spent making my way from Sofia, Bulgaria to Prague, Czech Republic, I experienced more life than I had the 19 years prior. I gained an understanding of cultures other than my own, ate food that makes my mouth water just thinking about it, and saw everything from the mountains of Germany to Vlad the Impaler’s ancient castle. I made some of my best friends and conquered fears I didn’t even know I had.
Not only did studying abroad help me develop personally…it helped me develop professionally. While studying International Business, I learned how businesses set up companies overseas. During my Foundations of Entrepreneurship class, I spoke with small business owners in various countries about the unique challenges they face, and even developed a business plan to launch an app to help travelers. I studied the history of popular music and investigated how German music influenced the American EDM craze.
So fill out your passport application. Put your name on the list for a trip, whether it’s for a week, a month, a semester, or a year. Jump into your fears, jump into the unknown, and take a risk. The most rewarding growth happens outside of your comfort zone.
Make sure to like HC Belmont on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, pin with us on Pinterest, and love us on Instagram