Thank you, Study Abroad

Hi one last time :) 

After completing my 16 weeks abroad, I want to take a second to acknowledge something that's been bugging me since I got here. I have found that there's a stigma around the idea of studying abroad, that kids go abroad to binge drink, party, and to spend 4 months in a foreign country on daddy's dime with no responsibilities. And I'll admit, this stigma exists for a reason. So many kids I know lived in Europe for a semester and ran up $10,000 in credit card debt in 4 months, and somehow only managed to travel a handful of times. 

Along with this stigma is the running joke that "abroad changes you." American students return to the states and rave about their semester abroad, but are unable to explain this change that they speak of. A lot of times when asked how, people merely respond with "it just does." ?????? Did clubbing 5 nights a week change you? Or was it the 20 pounds you gained because of all of the pasta you indulged on?

I don't mean to sound condescending or bitter, but the idea that abroad is this phenomenal and indescribable experience is often misconstrued by the people who do abroad incorrectly. Please don't be mistaken, abroad is a phenomenal experience and it DOES change you, but it does so in a way that's not often portrayed correctly. 

Abroad changed me when I had to learn how to budget my money properly.  Abroad changed me when I traveled through Europe, navigating public transportation in foreign languages that I didn't speak. Abroad changed me when I immersed myself in Italian culture and became friends with the local vendors at the fresh markets. Abroad changed me when I, an extreme overpacker, learned how to pack for a week in just a backpack (little victories!!). Abroad changed me when I went to countries off the beaten path and took guided tours of historical places instead of spending my time doing pub crawls. Abroad changed me when I was able to view American politics and associated topics from an outside foreign perspective. Abroad changed me when I realized how annoying it was that my friends were craving American shit junk food WHILE IN ITALY SURROUNDED BY THE FRESHEST FOOD (!?? You can't be craving skippy peanut butter t h a t badly). Abroad changed me when I traveled alone in foreign/unfamiliar countries for the first time and made the greatest of friends studying around the world. Abroad changed me when I visited Morocco and saw what real poverty looked like. Abroad changed me when I made the decision 16 weeks ago to take advantage of every single opportunity this semester that Italy was going to provide for me. 

12 countries and 26 cities visited in 4 months, and I couldn't be more grateful for my time spent abroad. I've met countless people, visited the most incredible places, and truly lived my life to the absolute fullest in the last 16 weeks. The biggest thank you to my parents for being so supportive and for allowing me to go across the world and spend a semester abroad. I'm sorry my phone broke 4 weeks ago and I haven't been able to call, but I'll be back real soon :) 

Thank you to everyone who has stuck around and followed my travel updates for the last few months! I'll have a few weeks to relax at home taking an online summer class before I begin my summer internship at Wells Fargo in San Francisco and in August, I'll head back to Carolina for my senior year. At 18, life took me across the country, and at 21, across the world. I don't know what's in store for me next, but I cannot wait to continue exploring this big, beautiful world. 

You can't give your life more time, so give the time you have left more life. 

Xoxo, 

Katie girl