There is an old Belgium proverb that says, "When you leave a country, you leave behind something of your heart." As I sit here today, back in the United States, and reflect upon my study abroad experience in the United Kingdom, this quote seems very fitting to me.
I remember last summer when I sat in Boston contemplating if I could take that leap of faith and leave a campus that I had come to love so much. I knew in my heart that study abroad was always going to be a part of my college experience, but when the time came to apply, I was very nervous. Nervous to leave a place that had come to feel like home and more nervous to leave the people I had grown so close to. Encouragement from my friends and family gave me the push that I needed and I am so happy that it did. Today, I can say with complete and utter honesty that studying abroad has been one of the highlights of my life.
I have encountered personal growth through my explorations in a way that is difficult to explain to those who have not studied abroad. Faced with culture shock, challenged to embrace local customs, and pushed to learn about the world and the community in which you are living through an outsider's perspective, it is a unique experience. While excitement filled me through most of my trip, I did crave some of the American ways of life from time to time. There were moments when I wanted to refer to the subway as the T instead of the Tube, times when I wanted nothing more than to know where cars would be driving on the street, and instances when I wanted to enjoy Wheat Thins or Dunkin' Donuts. However, pushing myself further into the British culture made me feel more accustomed and grounded. There are many things about the culture of the UK that will stick with me for the rest of my life. A new found love of tea, biscuits, and scones, conversational phrases like "cheers" and "pop out," and nights spent at the pub will always be with me.
More than just a growing experience, this semester has been so much fun. I have had the chance to see 5 countries, 13 cities (8 being in England), and hundreds of the world's most famous and treasured sites. Traveling on weekend getaways, I was able to experience many cultures and see places that I have been dreaming about seeing for years. Through daytrips, I had the chance to get out of the hustle and bustle of London and see the more relaxed British countryside. Exploring London itself, I had the opportunity to see some of the world's best collections of art and antiquities and learn how local Londoners live. Samuel Johnson's well-known quote is definitely true, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life." This vibrant city has so much to do and offer that there is always something to experience.
As I conclude my travel blog, I want to share some quotes that strike a chord with me and that I feel represent my study abroad experience. While difficult to describe in a few words, I thought that these quotes brilliantly hint at what this experience is like.
"As the traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep, so a knowledge of one other culture should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily, to appreciate more lovingly, our own." - Margaret Mead
"Traveling is like flirting with life. It's like saying, 'I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station.'" - Lisa St. Aubin de Teran
"Arriving at each new city, the traveler finds again a past of his that he did now know he had: the foreignness of what you no longer are or no longer possess lies in wait for you in foreign, unpossessed places." - Italo Calvino
With those words in mind, I just want to thank everyone who has supported me on my journey. I really appreciate all your encouragement, friendship, and love. It has made for an experience that I will treasure forever.
