After I finished my classes in Japan, I spent a week with a friend (pictured above) and her mom. Afterward I went to Europe and spent a few weeks taking trains to different friends I have made over the years; it was a fun experience. But, by the end of it, I was pretty burnt out and wanted nothing more than to go home. It is always such a weird feeling coming home after being gone for so long. As I rode home with my dad from the Montgomery Regional Airport, I was in awe that Alabama was still a real place. I remembered the roads and the “sights” that we passed as I caught my dad up on everything that I had seen and experienced around the world. There is a certain anxiety that builds up as I travel. The constant fear of losing something valuable (passport, wallet, keys, phone, etc.) or being late (train, car, plane, etc.) starts to weigh on the psyche after a while. While my tolerance for such things is high, eventually it did start to take a toll and I was just ready to come home and throw my bags and self into my room and feel finally like I had no worries. Of course, that is not how life works and now I have a whole new set of worries and responsibilities but nonetheless, it felt good to be home. If you want my honest advice on the whole study abroad process it would be to push your limits. Go to the place you want to go to, but do not be afraid to go for a semester. Or go to a program that you know no one else in. You know, really put yourself out there. When else in life will you be able to do something like that? Regardless of whether it goes good or bad, it is an irreplicable learning experience and one that will hopefully make you a more well-rounded and mature individual. The first time I studied abroad was probably one of the top three influential times in my life. While this time was not as transformative it still gave me the ability to see and learn so much about the world in a way that I am almost positive I will never get to experience again. I hope that helps.