Studying abroad is an amazing opportunity for those who are able to do it. Most who have studied abroad agree that it was the best decision they ever made and it was truly life changing. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE studying abroad and I do not regret my decision at all, but it's not always as glamorous as everyone believes it to be. The Instagram and Facebook photos mask the truly unglamorous side of studying abroad, and here are just a few struggles many students face studying abroad.
1. Missing buses or planes because most of the world uses military time
In North America, most countries use a 12 hour time keeping method, so when many students like me study abroad in places around Europe, the 24 hour time keeping method tends to throw us for a loop. It's not incredibly difficult to figure out, but there is always the occasional slip up of booking bus tickets for 2:15, thinking you booked it for the afternoon, when you actually booked it for 2:15AM.
2. Airport security and customs every week
Some think airports are fun places to be, and they usually are because it means your going on an adventure. But many forget the insane security and custom lines. Sure traveling somewhere new every week is an unbelievable oppurtunity, but dealing with long lines never makes for an enjoyable experience. People cut you in line, security and custom officials usually hate their lives and typically are not kind, and there are always those foolish first time flyers that forget the 100mL rule and hold up the line. Before you know it, you've wasted a whole day waiting in lines.
3. Everyone IMMEDIATELY asking about the election
Any time you speak to anyone in Europe, there's a 50/50 chance they will ask you about the upcoming election, and what a lunatic Donald Trump is. Every time you get into a taxi, the taxi driver can never come up with any other more interesting question to ask you. Yes, I know Trump is a flaming racist. Yes, I know Hilary is a untrustworthy liar. Thank you for sharing your limited knowledge of American politics with me, and no I will not tell you who I am voting for. Now please let me out of the taxi.
4. Trying to convert everything to the metric system
America has to be difficult and be so different from the rest of the world and use the customary system. Converting from pounds to kilograms isn't the worst thing in the world, but converting temperature is a lost cause. There is a reason I am not a math major, and converting Fahrenheit to Celsius is why. I'll stick to taking a snapchat of my face and going to temperature filter to figure out the temperature.
5. When you go to a cafe, and it doesn't have wifi
Some students choose to buy a SIM card wherever they are and use that, but most of us rely on wifi to use our phones and message friends back home. Wifi can come sparingly when traveling, so an easy fix is finding the closest cafe. There is no worse feeling than buying a coffee and sitting in a cafe and discovering there is no wifi. So now you're forced to drink your coffee, and just give dirty looks to the barista for wasting your time your time and money.
6. When the only language you know is English
Traveling often leads you to amazing places of many languages. Sitting on crowded subways listening to the native language can be an enjoyable experience, but when locals try to communicate with you it can leave you feeling like a deer in headlights. Sometimes those few words and phrases you google translated before you left aren't enough when whoever you are speaking to doesn't understand English. And if they don't use the English alphabet, you're just asking for trouble.
7. Chipotle is nowhere to be found
Chipotle is arguably God's greatest gift to planet earth, but unfortunately they are few and far between in Europe. Nothing is worse than a Chipotle craving, and discovering the closest one is countries away. The local Mexican restaurants will never live up to the standards of a burrito bowl. And if you do find the rare Chipotle in Europe, odds are you're going to end up paying a pretty penny for it, but it's completely worth the money.
8. European girls are contouring pros
All girls have attempted contouring their faces at least once or twice, and unless you have god given talent, those attempts were generally unsuccessful. European girls are the ultimate pros of contouring their faces, and their make up is always flawless. Unfortunately, most of my American friends and I are not gifted in the make up department. So I commend the European girls because I will never live up to their standards!
9. When you're trying to sleep but your friends are blowing up the group chat
Time differences can truly be a pain in the butt. While it may be 3:00AM for you, your friends back home are wide awake and ready to go. Sometimes it feels like they purposely blow up the group chat just as you're falling asleep, or at some ungodly hour of the night.
10. Having to pay to use the bathroom
Who knew you would ever have to pay just to use a bathroom in a bus stop or restaurant? Nothing is worse than frantically searching for a restroom only to find out it's going to cost you to pee. Free restrooms may be one of the greatest blessings in America.
11. When fries are chips, and chips are crisps
No matter how long you study abroad for, this will be the hardest thing to remember when ordering at restaurants. Like the customary system, America has to be difficult and be different from every other country and have different words for "french fries" and "chips". The real question is, why do we call them "french fries" if they originated in Belgium?
12. All and all, studying abroad is still awesome
Although it may not be glamorous and enjoyable 24/7, studying abroad is still pretty awesome, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
