A Bunch of Random Thoughts.
So this post is just a lot of topics strung together in one post. Welcome to my thought process when I think about my time abroad. Here it goes.
I want to first start out with advice. There is always a time to be frugal. With your budget, with your decisions, with your time, let me tell you studying abroad is NOT the time to be. You are never going to regret skipping classes for a day to explore a nearby city or that time you booked a trip randomly and spent extra money to get the flight you want. When you are abroad it is the time to let go and just live. Do things that you normally wouldn't or rock that outfit that you wouldn't normally wear. This is the time to be whoever you want to be. Why not take advantage of that? I spent around 9,000 dollars while I was abroad. I know that sounds like a lot and it really is, but I did a lot of traveling. I saw 11 countries, so that means I basically traveled every weekend. When you put it into perspective, that is a lot of traveling and including that with living expenses, it isn't that bad. Plus, I indulged in the nightlife, a lot. That means I was spending like 30 euro every night I went out, it adds up. I am not saying that everyone spends that much. Some people spend less and some more, but it kind of gives you an idea of what to expect. Going abroad with a budget is important, but I promise you will not regret the money you spent expanding your horizons and taking risks. Those are the moments that I cherish from my experience.
My nights out were the best I had. I know everyone likes staying in and watching Netflix every once in a while but remember that even from day 1 abroad your days there are numbered. Live every night like it's your last and you will come back regret free, I promise. Memories come from things that you do that aren't inside your norm. So even though impulsivity is risky, it also makes for a great story, so go for it. Your love life while you are away is also something important, at least I thought it was. I spent a lot of my time crushing on guys I've met and I even spent time seeing some of them. It is really hard for people, like me, to let their guard down and just go with it. For the most part though, I did and it felt great. I had things with a two main guys while I was living in Italy and both experiences with them still mean a lot to me. One of them I don't really talk to anymore and the other one I talk to occasionally, but they will both forever me apart of my experience and I thank them so much for that.
My friends, oh my lovely friends. My roommates were the people I was closest too while I was in Europe. Every night I went out or went on a trip at least one of them was right there with me the whole time. They were my rocks when I needed them and I love all of them so much. I met people from all over the United States and even the world in Italy and every last person had an effect on me. I had the opportunity to make great friends from students, tour guides, bartenders at the pubs I frequented, and even random people I talked to for the night. Such a different array of personalities and life stories, which was so eye-opening to me. I thank them all so much everyday for helping me create the person I am right now. No one truly understands the affect of the experience of studying abroad has until you do it, and let me tell you, you will be forever changed by the experience. 
My family, I know that they were far away during my experience but they still affected it greatly! Just hearing from them randomly was enough to make me miss home less. About halfway through the semester I received a care package and that was great! I spent my first birthday and Thanksgiving without my family and it was hard, but I had the support from my lovely roommates and friends to make it less hard. When you are away, your family will miss you more than you know, so make sure to stay in contact as much as you can! My travels, I went to places that I never ever thought I would see. I didn't plan on going to Austria, The French Riviera, The Czech Republic, Hungary or Switzerland and I am so glad that I did. Some of the cities I went to that I didn't plan on were some of my favorite trips! I got to experience such a vast range of cultures and people and I cherish every second I spent traveling. Europe is the central hub of the world and traveling is pretty cheap so DO IT. I swear you will not regret a minute of it.
My apartment, I was in love with it! It was in the perfect location and it was so big! Apart from the broken TV, dishwasher, and washing machine for a while, I could not have asked for a better place. I was kinda nervous about living with six girls. but it was so big it didn't even feel like it. It was in Piazza di San Firenze and right over a bomb restaurant. The views from the windows were so cultured and historical. I am never going to have a better place than that one.
A lot of the pictures in this post are from my last night abroad!
No comments:
Post a Comment