The entire world breathed a collective sigh of relief when the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve and the calendar read 2021. However, if you are still feeling exhausted, drained and stuck under the weight of 2020, our team wants to let you know that you are not alone and we felt important to reflect on this sentiment and to keep it all in perspective.

In the age of COVID-19, we all know that we can’t predict the future or know what exactly is to come. But let’s have some hope!

Patty Valencia, EdOdyssey’s Peru Coordinator, explains how much study abroad have changed and enriched her life at the start of International Education Week!

Embrace the ways in which you have changed through the experience and all that you have learned. There are numerous ways to carry on your international education experience after the international portion has concluded. Your time abroad is the first aspect of a phase of growth that you are setting off into. After your time abroad has concluded, the new perspectives, knowledge, and opportunities gained abroad will continue to influence your future growth.

Intentional moments of reflection help you actively engage with your thoughts and emotions related to different experiences. While studying abroad and living a multitude of new experiences, it can be particularly helpful to slow down and think about all that you are experiencing.

The mission and responsibility of EdOdyssey starts with serving our students and the world through experiential learning. As leaders in international education, our organization feels compelled to raise our voice against racial discrimination and violence and to educate on the differences that exist within societies abroad.