Dear study abroad student,

You are currently spending the first few weeks of your time living in a foreign country, a completely new experience regardless if it has fully hit you yet. You might be overexcited and overstimulated in the environment of a completely new world unknown to you until now. All the anticipation and countdowns have been completed as you are in the place you had so much been looking forward to being in. You might be feeling a hair overwhelmed or even just wanting to do a million things at once. As you are hitting the ground running once you got off the plane, as someone who has gone abroad, I will give you the heads up that it’s an experience that is irreplaceable. There’s nothing like it and you should give yourself the credit for stepping outside your comfort zone deciding to go on an adventure like this.

As you get accustomed to your home for the next few months, take in anything and everything. I promise you you will not see everything. It’s not humanly possible, but it's okay. Rather take in and experience as much as you can in the time you have. You will look back and realize it was the best attitude you could have had. There is no step by step guideline or checklist of what you are supposed to and are expected to feel. This is different for everyone. You know yourself and always keep that into account. Everyone at one point or another misses home, and it’s completely okay. Don’t hesitate to call or email home now and again; trust me, my mother loved being able to videochat with me.

You will also quickly learn WiFi is going to become both your best friend and a lost friend. When you want to communicate you will hold onto it as a lifeline, because without it you realize how far you might be. On the other side of the coin you may at times want to forget it, because what you are travelling to and experiencing cannot be captured on an iPhone camera. How you feel when you lookout on Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower or how the small, perfect cup of a good European coffee tastes cannot be captured exactly how you experience it. You will find the importance in conversation and learning new things. You will learn more outside of the classroom than in it, especially from those you meet.

Whether it’s a group of locals or the friends you grow to be close with, there is no reason to have the phone out constantly messaging and updating when life is more than ever right at your fingertips. You will realize the people you spend time with abroad and the friends you make hold a much different part of your heart because they got experience some of the most worldly adventures with you. Value these friendships, adventures and conversations because they become more a part of your experience than you might think.

Lastly and most importantly, keep an open mind. When the saying “The world is your oyster…” is applied to certain situations, this is one that fits. Take the opportunities, the early morning flights, the walks all day through the city and adventures that are presented. It’s completely new and in no time you will become more familiar with where you are living, how to navigate maps and feel as comfortable as you can in a place that at this point in time is new. Take in all that you can and, from the perspective of someone who has come back, have the time of your life.

Best,