As my spring semester study abroad comes to an end, it is time to reflect on my overall experience and how this experience has shaped my life in ways I never thought it would. Having the opportunity to study abroad has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. It gave me a lifetime of memories with people I never thought I would have met. I was able to study at a world-renowned university while also being able to be exposed to different cultures. When researching the various programs Alabama has to offer, I knew I wanted to choose something that would not be a traditional study abroad program, and this exchange provided just that. I was able to be part of a university and learn what it is like to be a student in a completely different environment. I was also able to meet people my age from across the world. If I had not taken this leap to complete this exchange, I would have never met some of my best friends. Being friends with people from across the globe has opened up my perspective in ways I never knew. I was able to learn about so many cultures in various aspects. For example, having roommates from Italy, France, and Australia allowed me to learn how people from different parts of the world live and what they do daily. We were able to have conversations about our homes, compare and contrast different customs, and build a relationship that I will forever be grateful for. At the beginning of this semester, I was extremely nervous about making friends or contemplating whether this was the right decision. But with everyone being in the same position, it was so easy to meet people.
Going through this process showed me what it means to make a foreign environment home and how to grow outside of my comfort zone. Leaving Birmingham and saying a “see you later” to my best friends was extremely difficult; however, that means I was able to fulfill what I wanted out of this study abroad experience, which was putting myself in a position where I was forced to interact with people from around the world and making life-long connections. Knowing I was able to make a place home and somewhere to look forward to coming to at the end of the day makes me extremely grateful. These past six months have been a life-changing experience, and the “other” Birmingham will always be a home away from home, along with the amazing people who came along the way that were able to make Birmingham, England, a place extremely special to my heart that I will forever remember.
5 Tips I wish I knew for a successful study abroad experience:
- It is okay to step outside your comfort zone, actually step out of your comfort zone. Take the risk and meet people from across the world.
- Cherish every moment and do not take advantage. While you need to take thousands of photos, do not forget to live in the moment.
- Take the trip- Whether it is a group or solo trip, go. You will experience so much by travelling, and it will be such an amazing experience.
- Become part of your program. Meet the locals and learn what it is genuinely like to live in your home base.
- Pick something to collect, whether they are postcards, magnets, etc. Find something that you will be able to remember everywhere you go, and can have that small reminder of the new place you visited.
