I’ve been home from France for about a week now. Luckily, there were no more mishaps on the way home, and I landed here safe and sound. This past week I have been reflecting on my experiences and what all that I have learned I wasn’t sure how exactly I wanted to frame this last and final blog entry for this trip, but I knew that I wanted to explain all of the things in my life that had changed since I had embarked on this trip. So, here it goes…
1. Don’t set expectations.
Travelling to a foreign country is exciting. If you’re like me, you probably have a list about a mile long of all of the things that you want to do/see. Going into an experience such as this with sky-high expectations of glamorous weekend trips, perfect weather, and problem-less days is unrealistic. Instead, I would advise travelling or studying abroad with no expectations at all. By all means, make a list of the things that you would like to accomplish, but don’t hold yourself to it. This is one way to ensure that you will completely and fully enjoy your trip without trying to meet some sort of anticipated expectation.
2. Never underestimate the kindness of a stranger.
I know that we are raised our entire lives to never trust a stranger or to be weary of those around us. While I understand the precautions, and I feel that it is very important to interpret the people who you believe are trying to assist you, I also think it is important to evaluate the situation. There are very many friendly people out there who will go above and beyond for you. I had the pleasure of meeting another girl in London who turned out to make my horrible situation about 1000 times better than I had expected. Sometimes the help of a stranger can go a long way, and it never hurts to have another person on your side.
3. Stereotypes are meant to keep barriers up, not tear them down.
I’ve heard a lot of stereotypes about Europeans and the French in general. I’ve been told that they are all weird, rude, smelly, arrogant, and self-centered. I’ve been told that they try to manipulate tourists and they lie to you when giving you directions. While there might be some individuals out there who love to mess with tourists or who hate their existence, the majority of them are normal people just like you or I. Don’t allow the stereotypes that you’ve been told have an impact on the way that you see them. Stereotypes are meant to keep the barrier between cultures up, and what you should be intending to do when you visit a foreign country is to tear that barrier down.
4. Speak the language. As much as possible.
When you travel to another country to learn a language, the most important thing that you can do is to speak the language. A LOT. Speaking allows you to learn new vocabulary and to pick up on the same habits as the locals. Speaking as much as you can also allows you to commit the new things that you are learning to memory. Like I’ve been told a thousand times by my language teachers, if you don’t use it, you lose it.
5. Try new things.
New foods. New experiences, New language. New places. Don’t be afraid to try it all. After all, you’re not in a foreign country to have the same old experiences that you have at home. There are millions of new sights, sounds, and tastes to experience. It is important to take them all in to be able to receive the full foreign experience. So, go to a restaurant. Try the local cuisine. Speak the language. Try something that you’ve never done before. Visit somewhere a little off the beaten path. These types of chances don’t come along all that often, so embrace the opportunities that you have.
6. Forge relationships with the people around you.
I was lucky enough to be able to stay with a host family while I was abroad. This afforded me the perfect experience to get to know some of the locals. When I left, I made sure that I gave them my American contact information, so that we could keep in touch. Build as many relationships as what you can with anyone that you can. Meet other students. Hang out with locals. Chat with as many people as what you possibly can. Get to know your professors. Exchange contact information with as many people as possible. This is the experience of a lifetime, and networking/meeting new people should be an important part of it.
7. Don’t stress about the things at home.
I spent a lot of time stressing over the little things that were going on at home while I was away. Monetary issues, relationships at home, and worries about an internship for the fall plagued me the entire time that I was away. I did enjoy myself while I was in Europe, but I think I could have enjoyed myself a bit more if I wasn’t constantly worrying about what was going on in the U.S. Leave your problems at home. Enjoy the time that you have in a foreign country. Don’t let the things at home impact how you feel about the things that you are experiencing.
Most of all, though, enjoy yourself. There is no “right way” to have an experience abroad. Do the things that you want to do. Experience the things that are important to you. I had the experience of a lifetime, and I wouldn’t change anything about it. I learned so much about the culture and the language during my short time there. I didn’t get to see near all of the things that I wanted to, but I just attributed that to the universe telling me that it is absolutely necessary for me to go back a second time. I also learned a lot about myself. I found parts of myself and my personality that I never knew existed before. My time abroad was perfect to reflect on not only my view of the world and other countries, but also my view on myself and my life. I hope that you all enjoyed reading my entries, and I hope that I inspired those of you who have not studied abroad to do so.
Location: Altoona, PA
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Hi Sabrina
Thanks for sharing all the things from your time abroad. I am going to use your blog as a poster child for all my future pre- departure orientations.
You are spot on!!
Wishing you a lovely Fall semester.
Best
Nimisha
I am completely in agreement with #2 – I think being abroad makes you rely on strangers so much and it has been shockingly pleasant to see how far people are willing to go to help you out.
I agree with everything you said! By the first week once I got over my self-consciousness and started speaking French with no reservations my experiences improved greatly. And I totally agree with the thoughts on stereotypes, there’s nothing good about them and most of the time they just don’t hold up, especially with the French.