Why I'm Grateful For My Study Abroad Experience

Plenty of people have an itch to travel, and studying abroad allows us as students to explore other parts of the world without interfering with our education. As a part of the study abroad community, we continuously gain appreciation and reflect on how living abroad has affected our individual perspectives of the world. If there was one thing that I am more than grateful for within the past years, it would be my experience studying abroad. My time in China and Peru has enriched my life with a love for languages, new foods, and travel. 

Here are the three biggest reasons why I’m grateful for my study abroad experience:

New People, New Experiences

Study abroad enabled me meet a variety of people from different backgrounds.  When I say this, it is not just meeting new people in the sense of knowing a lot more people.  

I feel as if study abroad enabled me to meet new people that I may not have been friends with before and gave me time to create deeper connections.  When abroad, despite different backgrounds and personalities, barriers become broken. 

I felt that there was less separating us when I was abroad.  It has opened me up to people who I consider some of my closest friends today who I continue to stay in touch with.

Studying Languages

A component of studying abroad that I thought would be the most beneficial was studying languages.  In both China and Peru, I wanted to study Mandarin and Spanish, respectively. Studying these languages in their native countries themselves was very helpful in learning them in an authentic way.  

When I first arrived in China, I had to get over my fear of learning Mandarin, since I had not known a word of the language prior to arriving.  After studying Mandarin for my first month in China, I realized how much language really opens you up to a country and its culture.  

Personal Growth

I am also grateful for my study abroad experience for helping me grow as a person.  I found that through my travels, I became a more independent person. Even now in college, I’ve found that I do not need the safety net of a college campus.  I am always looking for travel opportunities, whether it is weekend trips with friends or traveling to Vietnam where I went this summer for a school program.  

In gaining more independence, I have realized that travel becomes a way of life.  Travel doesn’t seem scary or intimidating, which is how I perceived it prior to studying abroad.  It has become a priority in my life and this would be impossible without my study abroad experiences.

If you want to see how my study abroad experiences through EdOdyssey have positively impacted and shaped me in college, check out How Study Abroad With EdOdyssey Prepared Me For Harvard!