This past spring, I spent the semester studying abroad in Canterbury, England. Studying abroad was something I wanted to do for most of my life as I’d grown up seeing older family members and friends do the same thing. I knew I wanted to go somewhere in Europe because I wanted to be able to easily travel to multiple countries. I’ve always considered myself a relatively independent person but studying abroad by myself completely pushed me out of my comfort zone. I was one of only four Virginia Tech students going on this program and I knew my independence was going to be tested.
The real test of my independence was when I decided to go on a solo trip. I’d made friends with other American exchange students and we spent most of our time traveling together. However, I really wanted to explore Bruges, Belgium, a small coastal city, and my friends weren’t as interested as I was. I decided to not let my fears of going by myself stop me, so I booked a train ticket and an Airbnb and went alone. I’d done some research and it was overwhelmingly agreed upon that Bruges as a city was very safe for independent travelers. I knew I could do it and when I was there I was so proud of myself for having done so.
Because I was alone, I was able to go at my own pace and do whatever I wanted to whenever I wanted to. I went to a combination bookstore-cafe, a museum all about Belgian chocolate and another all about frites—not French fries, the Belgians actually created them. I also went on a boat tour, took a stroll to some of the old windmills and climbed the famed Belfry tower in the Market Square. Being alone in a foreign country also forced me to get over my anxiety surrounding sitting and eating alone in public. Some nights I sat in the Market Square at a restaurant with my Kindle and a glass of wine—I am 21— and I was incredibly content. I’d pick up a Belgian waffle or some ice cream and just people-watch in the square or by the city hall. I went into cute shops and took my time because I was on nobody’s schedule but my own. I could dilly-dally as little or as long as I wanted anywhere. At night, I’d get some ice cream and head back to my Airbnb to watch “Modern Family” or read my book.
Despite being nervous about going to a foreign country completely alone with my nearest family member thousands of miles away, I realized I could do anything I set my mind to. Growing up, I wouldn’t do certain things if I had no one to do them with, like seeing a new movie, going to new coffee shops or checking out new stores in my hometown. Because I did all of those things alone in another country, I have a newfound sense of what I can do and what shouldn’t stop me.