Every single person that I have talked to has said that studying abroad was one of the best times in their lives. Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with them and I am only half way into my semester! I was also told before coming that I should expect a lot of highs and lows during my time abroad. Again, I can say that I totally agree with that statement. However, the low times aren't necessarily that awful. Sometimes it is just little things that are holding me back or little setbacks that ice cream can usually fix.

But even if ice cream can cure them, they do happen. So far during my time abroad I have experienced a few of these, sometimes on more than one occasion! Here are a few of my most common stresses during my life in paradise!

Lack of money. Let's be real, I am a college student so despite saving up for this trip for a year, I manage to still be running low. Planning all of these exotic trips or even just weekends away really does add up. A little part of me dies every time I have to look at my bank account. Yes, some of the money I have spent is necessary *cough cough hospital trips* and I will be getting some of it back, but for the most part that money is gone. Part of me has come to terms with that and the other part not so much. Part of me wants to just say "f*** it, I am only here once," but the other part is saying make sure you have some money left afterward. There are still so many things I want to see and explore, I just have to be more conscious about my spending. It is frustrating at times, knowing that I can't (always at least) pack a bag and go somewhere for the weekend. I have learned that the only way to really make do with my downward spiraling funds is to have a list of top destinations. By knowing the top places and things I know I want to splurge on, I can take it easy with the money spending for a few days leading up to the bigger trips.

Lack of time. Well first off, how are midterms already over? I feel like I just arrived yesterday... Knowing and actually experiencing how quickly time flies is one of the biggest frustrations ever! I feel like I haven't gone anywhere yet and compared to some international students my list is a lot shorter! It honestly just sucks. I feel like I need to plan everything out all the time just to make sure that I have time to do the things I really want to do! But all that planning also sucks because plans do fall through sometimes. Some of my biggest frustrations with time is just knowing how quickly this experience is flying by. I don't want to miss anything and yet I am already half way done! :(

VISA problems. Not actually sure if I can call them problems, but just the little details of traveling can really get to me sometimes! I wasn't able to get a multi-entry Visa before I came abroad which has led to some set backs. I want to go explore Thailand and neighboring countries, and see as much as I can but that is kinda hard to do when you can't leave the country. Well, as of now I can't leave the country. Thailand actually makes it extremely simple to apply for re-entry permits, which allow you to leave and come back. They are also fairly cheap! It's just a matter of not being lazy and actually filling out the form and going to the Immigration Office, which is the part I am having troubles with. Eventually, I will get my butt in gear and go get it done, but as of right now I am still dragging my feet about it!

Bathrooms. Yep, you read that correctly. Who would have thought that bathrooms would be overwhelming me at times? I sure didn't! I guess coming from United States I just didn't think this would be an issue. Or it at least it didn't ever occur to me that it would. A brief run down: 1. You have to pay for most public bathrooms. 2. These bathrooms do not usually have toilet paper. And 3. If you are like me, you will not realize this until after you are sitting down on the toilet. 4. Don't even get me started with squatters (google it if you are curious). You would think that after the many occasions of experiencing them (thank you small bladder!), I would have learned my lesson. But noooooo! Maybe now I will start carrying tissues or toilet paper with me! ...........maybe. It's all about the experience, right? Haha.

Taxi drivers. This sore subject and the one following could honestly be in a category together called "Language barrier" but I thought splitting them up would be better! So where to begin with the taxi drivers....haha! Not all of them are bad, not all of them are trying to rip you off, but here in Thailand, you do get your fair share of those! Let's see, all of the lovely stories I could tell....Being an American does come with some hardship. Honestly, just being white can be difficult here. There are those rare occasions where the taxi driver will see that you are white and decide you aren't worth the trouble. They typically speed off, leaving you muttering under your breath (at least this is what happens to me)! There are the other drivers that think that since I am foreign they can get away with a lot of things. I had one driver tell me that he didn't have a meter. I guess he thought he was being clever when he covered it with a towel? I'm not sure! One of the main issues is the language barrier. Often, hmm honestly the majority of the time, they do not understand what I am saying or don't know the place I am trying to go. A lot of them do not have a GPS and go solely off of their memory for places. I have learned that the best way to deal with this is use google maps, and even sometimes that doesn't work!

Group projects. I was hesitant at first to put this on my list of struggles. Mainly because I am not trying to bash the Thai students. Then thinking about it, honestly it is not there fault that I don't understand what they are saying! Group projects are always somewhat stressful in their own way, and then add on the language barrier to that! It just gets messy! One of the hardest times I have had is trying to write a 15 page paper with a group of seven other students. First off, writing group papers are extremely difficult! Trying to get the information to flow from one person's writing to the next....it's just down right hard! But at least back home I wasn't the only one fluent in English! The Thai students are actually very good at English. There are just certain times when their grammar is incorrect making it nearly impossible to understand what they are trying to say. Needless to say, I have taking over the role of final editor on our group paper!

Technology issues. Yes, I guess you could say that these are all first world problems. There is tons of free WiFi here in Thailand and it is fabulous! Somehow I managed to get an apartment that has over six different connections that I can use and yet, I still have problems with them! I typically have to switch from one network to the next, until I find one that works! I have also been having computer problems of my own. I guess this is what happens when you take a four year old laptop to a tropical location! Back home this wouldn't cause nearly as much stress. I could send it to the IT center and have them figure out the problem. Or I could even go to a Dell store in person. Here...not so much. They have loads of computer stores but the language issues would just be to much of a heartache, when I know the problems are just caused by old age and heat. I am just hoping (fingers crossed) that my laptop will last another three months. That's all I ask for!

Homesickness. This is an issue as well, but it comes in spurts. In other words, I am fine until I am not! What helps me through a lot of this is to just keep going, keep doing things, keep meeting new people..etc. Yes, there are quite a few times I want to be back home, or watching a movie with my boyfriend, or gossiping with my best friend but I know that this time here is special. Not that many people get to just go somewhere for six months and do all the things I have been experiencing. Just knowing that helps a lot. And if that fails....ice-cream!!!! (have I mentioned how good the coconut ice-cream is yet?) On a real note though, there are many people in my life that support me and know just what to say if I am ever feeling extremely down.

Even though I have described some of the biggest hardships in my time abroad, I do not want to give the wrong image! I am absolutely loving this experience! Loving this country! Everything about this has been way more then I could have ever hoped for.