This past semester I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Madrid, Spain and it was one of the greatest times of my life.
Studying abroad was something that I have wanted to do since I was in high school so when my plane touched down in January, I knew I was in for a great time. It was nerve-wracking, though, being in a continent where I didn’t know anyone but myself, and living with a family who I had never met, going to school who’s language that I knew well, but wasn’t completely fluent in. Besides all that, there was never a time I wanted to quit, even though there were some tough moments.
It was hard that first couple of weeks, when I was still making friends and felt particularly alone or when I had trouble understanding the different accents of the people in my neighborhood. However, it did teach me a few things about myself.
One, it taught me how confident I could be. If I could go and live in a country where I had no friends or family, and excel at doing that, then I could be confident with whatever issue life threw at me. By the end of my four months, I had mastered the art of living in a new city and I was no longer unsure of what I was capable of.
Second, it taught me how self-sufficient I could be. It was the first time I had traveled outside of the country and there were plenty of things I had to think about traveling to everyday living. All in all, studying abroad changed my life for the better!