Traveling alone to a foreign country can be both one of most terrifying and rewarding experiences of your life. From packing to securing your school credits, planning a trip to study abroad easily gets stressful and tiring. Despite the tedious steps necessary to execute a successful expedition, studying abroad consists of amazing opportunities that must be taken advantage of. Here, we list the five most important things to do while traveling abroad. If you’re afraid to try any of these, just remember the most important thing to keep in mind is that you will probably never get another experience like this! Ever. As young and curious collegiettes, studying abroad is necessary for personal growth and development because you will learn things about yourself that you wouldn’t be able to learn by staying in your comfort zone.
1) Eat local food
Whether it’s pho or escargot, trying new and local food from the country you’re staying in will make your taste buds bounce off the walls. When else are you going to try aged wine and cheese in France, or uniquely spiced curry from India?
2) Learn the country’s history
When you know the country’s history, you are better able to understand how it operates today. Learning about the nation’s past gives you the perspective to recognize how your experience in the country has been affected by political, socioeconomic, and cultural factors over time.
3) Make friends
Meeting people in a foreign country is easier than you think; the majority of people you will encounter on your study abroad trip are also looking to make friends. Additionally, locals are oftentimes excited to share their home country to foreigners who are interested.
4) Keep a journal
Jot down your day-to-day adventures in a notebook. Even if it’s writing about how you had a brief conversation about books with that cute guy from the coffee shop in the plaza (you go girl!), these little things add up and make up part of your study abroad experience. This way, you can be sure that you won’t forget a single moment of the trip and will be able to relive your journey years later.
5) Explore
Going by the travel book and an itinerary can become boring fast. Give yourself a day or two to simply wander around the city without having a specific place to be. In doing so, you’ll be able to truly soak in the atmosphere and culture around you.
Photo credit:
http://www.misstravel.com/blog/be-a-travel-girl-helpful-tips-for-traveling-the-world/
http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/food-travels/global/en
http://www-pvhs.stjohns.k12.fl.us/teachers/weinbrj/AP_World_History
http://www.destinationtravl.com/honeymoonregistry.htm
http://loulovesfood.blogspot.com/2011/09/argentinian-travel-journal.html
http://cynthiaord.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/traveling-alone.jpg