It started with a box. I collected maps, made playlists, read books and learned languages—all because I was fascinated with the idea of traveling. I placed all of my collections inside a box that I hid underneath my bed. I decorated my room with quotes about traveling and discovery and having the courage to push boundaries.
This past summer, with the help of scholarships, I had the opportunity to study abroad for six weeks at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom. There, I took two courses related to international relations. The first was a class on foreign policy, and the second was one about anthropology.
The program brochure was not lying when it said that the courses would be intensive. Imagine a year’s worth of material crammed into three weeks, and you might be able to imagine the stress level before midterms and finals.
Yet, it was all worth it. I learned so much, and my perspectives on education and people and the world definitely changed significantly.
That might sound like a romanticization, but I assure you, it’s not. Sure, study abroad wasn’t all that I thought it would be. I didn’t listen to the playlists I had created from the box and I didn’t use any of the paper maps I had collected.
But, I did grow as a student and as a person. I learned not only about the nuances of foreign policy and the complexities of anthropology, but I also further realized what I wanted to do with my life. I discovered a lot about myself: how I deal with uncomfortable situations and how I react to different people.
What study abroad does is, it puts you in a place where you feel uncomfortable and maybe even shocked. Maybe you have to deal with racism or sexism or lack of understanding in general. I certainly did. Maybe you feel frustrated because you’re stressed out and you don’t have your usual support system because your friends are across the world from you. I definitely had those moments. But in complete and all honesty, everything was worth it—it was more than worth it. Because I pushed myself. I stopped wishing for the familiar and instead embraced the unknown. I stopped being so self-conscious. I learned how to stand my ground, how to communicate with strangers, how to forget unfair expectations, and how to laugh about ridiculous and even unfortunate situations.
Fear, when paired with curiosity and a willingness for adventure, can do wondrous things. I made great friends, some of them coincidentally from Berkeley, and some of them from different places all over the world. I had incredibly stimulating conversations with my professors and teachers and I came to really admire the genuine compassion and dedication of human beings toward other human beings.
Study abroad is more than just going to a country, taking a few classes, eating different foods and experiencing jet lag. It’s about breaking down barriers. It’s about understanding reality and knowing that, despite the difficulties that reality presents, there is still so much beauty and adventure and impossible moments of coincidence in life.
Traveling abroad did give me practical skills. I learned how to use public transportation efficiently, how to strike up conversation with strangers and how to not be as much of a germophobe (I guess that’s not much of a skill, but it’s still a pretty significant development in my life). But most importantly, I learned how to not be afraid of being me and of making mistakes.
For about five years, that box filled with aspirations of traveling and exploration became what I revolved my dreams around. I had an extremely idealistic picture of what I wanted to see and experience. I never thought about what difficulties I might come across in terms of cultural barriers and expectations or in relation to just being a clumsy tourist.
And then I studied abroad. And I discovered the many difficulties of traveling. But I also experienced the many good things in life—things I would’ve never even imagined experiencing before. Yes, I was stressed because of a different environment and because of school, and I was confused because of a different culture. Maybe I was slightly disoriented for the first couple of weeks because everything was so different. But… “different” doesn’t necessarily mean “bad.” It might just means… “new.”
Study abroad was one of the best experiences of my life. This summer was one I will definitely remember and reflect on again and again.
I learned how to live outside the box, as scary and unfamiliar as that was. And in all honestly, life is so much better this way.
Now it’s just time to deal with all the nostalgia.
Pic Source: Rotating-Landmarks.png