It’s true that traveling challenges us with teachable moments, and it’s our duty to understand what the are trying to show us in the moment. Many people travel to see the sights, but there is so much depth to traveling that can be overlooked. Just like any new experience in life - travel has its ups and downs but that’s part of the experience as a whole. 

If you have dreamed about stepping outside of your hometown, or college town, then there’s no better time to explore your options. Can you fully appreciate your life at college without having stepped off campus to try a new experience somewhere else? Do you think that you’d regret not going abroad once you find that stable job and career after you graduate?

From my study abroad semester-long experience in Peru through EdOdyssey, some of the most memorable parts of my experience were from the excursions that were a part of the program. Initially, I thought that these excursions would be fun trips, but I did not realize the how all-encompassing, holistic nature of each location and vast difference in landscape that these respective areas have in Peru they would be.  

People interpret, evaluate, and react in different ways when their beliefs are challenged in a new country. Our individual ability to increase our cultural awareness, or cultural sensitivity, comes from a willingness to learn from others that see the world differently based on their experiences.

If there was one thing that I am more than grateful for within the past years, it would be studying abroad. Studying abroad has enriched my life with a love for languages, new foods, and travel.

The truth is you can travel anytime in your life yet there are plenty more opportunities with the flexibility of being a student, rather than having a 9 to 5 job, building out your career, and worrying about a house payment. Experiencing a part of the world before you graduate will be an adventure of a lifetime!