June 28th, 2018
What's the best thing about being home? What's the hardest?
I think the best part about being home would have to be returning to a familiar lifestyle. Having been abroad for five months, I became accustomed to living in the moment and partaking in impulse adventures. Now that I’m back in the states, it’s slightly more difficult to schedule adventures around work and family.
That being said, I think the hardest part about being home would have to be missing the country's endless opportunities for exploration. There wasn’t a day when I would come home without experiencing new scenery, activities, or meeting new people. I craved waking up each morning knowing that there were new experiences ahead of me. Alongside bidding farewell to my daily adventures, I also had a difficult time adjusting back from the fifteen hour time difference. I’d say I’m close to being fully recovered, however, I still require my midday slumbers!
That being said, I think the hardest part about being home would have to be missing the country's endless opportunities for exploration. There wasn’t a day when I would come home without experiencing new scenery, activities, or meeting new people. I craved waking up each morning knowing that there were new experiences ahead of me. Alongside bidding farewell to my daily adventures, I also had a difficult time adjusting back from the fifteen hour time difference. I’d say I’m close to being fully recovered, however, I still require my midday slumbers!
How was your experience different from what you expected? In what ways was it the same?
My experience abroad was different because I wasn’t expecting to have made so many close friends. I initially began my semester cooped up in my room wallowing in homesickness. Approximately six weeks following my arrival, the feelings of homesickness had completely disintegrated. I began to meet new people, travel off campus, and partake in various internationally-coordinated activities. My assimilation into my foreign environment was further enabled by the amount of free time I had. Each semester I had completed prior to my study abroad had been loaded with studies and preparations for Australia. This semester, I was able to take simpler courses requiring fewer assessments.
Few aspects of my study abroad had been exactly what I had expected. Several stereotypes had been proven true, such as the wide usage of profanity, drinking culture, and hazardous radiation. I had the opportunity to observe and interact with kangaroos numerous times, however, I was only able to spot one in the wild! Other expected features that were proven accurate included the Australian accents, switched driving patterns, and controversial love for Vegemite.
Few aspects of my study abroad had been exactly what I had expected. Several stereotypes had been proven true, such as the wide usage of profanity, drinking culture, and hazardous radiation. I had the opportunity to observe and interact with kangaroos numerous times, however, I was only able to spot one in the wild! Other expected features that were proven accurate included the Australian accents, switched driving patterns, and controversial love for Vegemite.