Some of the reasons people give for wanting to study abroad are typically the basic "to have an adventure" or "experience life" but even more cliche is the statement "I'm going to find myself."
Newsflash for all the people that said the third option. . . it's wrong. See the problem with going to a new country is that everything is well, different and that difference takes a lot of adjustment. Not only is there an adjustment to a different culture, but there is also an adjustment to independence. The independence of being away from home, the independence in having different and often more choices to choose from, and the independence of responsibility.
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For many people, I'm just preaching to the choir. You have already chosen to study abroad and therefore you know this or you know someone who has studied aboard who is conscious of the life they lead there.
But for some reason, among many naive to the experience ahead of them, cliches serve as a realistic ideal.
Here's the truth: study abroad will not define you. Yes, it can change you. Yes, you could potentially "recreate your identity." But in no way is the three, or six, or nine months a definition for who you actually are. There is no way you can expect that identity to be constant or even close to reality.
Ahh reality. Another concept that is blatantly misjudged due to the misnomers of "fabulous" foreign travel. Reality is that study abroad isn't 100% amazing all the time. It can get intolerable. These intolerable times happen when you are craving your favorite American-made snack or your smelling the inside of your house. And traveling isn't always glamorous. There are some bathrooms you will use that once you come out, you will feel even more gross than when you went in. There are rude people who will scold you or make fun of you. There is food that is just ok that is listed at a five star price.
There is constant culture shock. Just when you think you've learned something about the habits of the culture you're in, something new hits you. It is sometimes even in the most comfortable moments that you feel uncomfortable. For you may find yourself transformed by your host culture, forgetting the habits of your home back in the states.
So the truth is, that study abroad is not the time to find out who you are. If anything, your experiences should enhance you, not define you. There is so much to see, you shouldn't have the small, everyday choices stressing you out.
While your travels may be many, I hope your worries are few and far between. Don't expect to see world wonders if you first can't see yourself in a mirror.
