When you’re about to study abroad or cross any sort of ocean, there’s an implication from others that you come back changed. After all, you’re visiting parts of the world with different histories, cultures, cuisine, customs, and more. Studying abroad takes that even further as you are learning course content from experienced professors while in the country. The experience is as immersive as you can possibly get, making the learning experience of the trip that much more rich.
After coming back from Greece I couldn’t stop dropping little bits of information here and there while in conversation with family and friends. It has instilled a passion in me to travel the world as much as possible. And being able to go on that trip was all thanks to the support from the study abroad office and their willingness to answer any questions I had. It taught me that if you want something you need to go and ask, find the resources, and take the steps you need to get where you want to go.
And it’s in moments like that where I realize that the world is so much smaller than I once thought it was. Like when my professor came to pick me up from the airport in Athens at midnight after hiccups in my flight schedule. We stood in line waiting for a taxi. In front of us there was an Auburn student wearing a backpack with the school’s logo.
Our paths merge and diverge. We learn and we grow. We travel the world and hunger for more once we get back home. But everything we do is an opportunity to acquire knowledge about ourselves and become more connected to those around us.