Upon arrival back in the States, there wasn’t much else going on in my head other than, “Wow, I’m tired.” After the 20ish hours of travel, I was exhausted. I initially landed back in Atlanta, and with my connecting flight to Nashville another two hours later (which also got delayed), I was able to have my “first American meal,” which consisted of a Popeye’s chicken sandwich and fries. Although I enjoyed eating food I was more used to and being able to sleep in my bed, I wasn’t ready to leave Cambodia. Despite the extreme heat and inability to understand a simple street sign, I wasn’t ready to return home. Reflecting on my time in Cambodia, I think the most valuable thing was the ability to get a better understanding of the culture of Cambodia/East Asia. Despite what we may learn from history or geography courses, I don’t think there is anything close to a proper understanding or exposure to the culture. For future students considering studying abroad, I can only advise them to do it. I believe that there is so much to learn about other cultures and parts of the world that it is almost a no-brainer to study abroad if you can. Whether your destination is somewhere more “familiar” to the United States, like Western Europe, or where there is a much more drastic culture change, like in Africa or Asia, there is so much to gain from experiences like this that cannot be taught in a classroom. My biggest tip for those traveling would be to keep extra space in your bag or be ready to throw some things out. Despite what you may tell yourself beforehand, you will buy items in whatever country you travel to. My second piece of advice is to try new things and do things outside of your comfort zone. This is a big part of learning about the culture of your destination. Eating the foods they eat, going to the local markets, exploring. Going to a different country and doing the same things you would do at home would be a waste of a fantastic opportunity.
