10 Thoughts I Had on the Plane
- Did I forget something? What if it was super important? What if I won’t be able to survive in Spain without it?
My response: If it was really that important, you wouldn’t have forgotten it. And anything else you could have forgotten can be resolved or purchased once you arrive in Spain. Don’t worry about it!!
- What if all my friends make new friends while I’m gone?
My response: If your friends are real friends, they are going to be missing you every single day that you are gone and then once you’re finally reunited it will be like no time has passed. And if they turn out to be not so great friends, then you get to use this time to start fresh and make better relationships while abroad. Chances are though, your friends are awesome and they will be texting you about how much they miss you and everything will be fine.
- What will my host family be like?
My response: Pro tip: Try to get contact information for your host family before you leave! My program provided me with an email and I was able to reach out to my host mom and get an idea of who I will be living with for the next semester. An email’s worth of information isn’t much, but it at least gives me some sense of what I will be walking into in a few hours. All I need to know is that this family has been chosen by CIEE as a host family for a reason and that I need to make the most of the opportunity to live in a Spanish home and get a first look at this country’s culture. I want to do what I can to make lasting connections and learn a lot from the family that has graciously given me a place to stay.
- I already miss my family.
My response: Best way to handle this is to plan in advance. I made sure I had my phone plan figured out and kept note of the time difference so I would know the best times to call home. I packed a few pictures of my family (and friends too of course) to keep near my bed whenever I get homesick. But most importantly, I am staying with a homestay family and they will be my home away from home. One big part of studying abroad that I am hoping to make the most of is learning to make the most of the new relationships I find in Spain. Spain is meant to become my new home for the semester and I have to make the most of that. And if all that fails, I’m already away from my family for all my past semesters of college so this isn’t really THAT different.
- How will I survive living out of one luggage for 4 months?
My response: Fashion is one of my guilty pleasures. Therefore, the challenge of being told I can only pack one (and a half) suitcases full of clothes for 4 months is a little daunting. However, the art of minimalism is something we can all benefit from. Having elaborate outfits is not essential to my life in Spain and taking 4 months to adjust to a different lifestyle could be something great. If you really think about it, I only regularly use about 40% of my closet. So at least now I can make sure I get the most use of all the clothing I brought with me. And the backup plan is to just buy new clothing in Spain and appreciate the unique fashion in Spain.
- What if taking classes in Spanish is too hard?
My response: This is probably one of my biggest fears, despite the fact that I grew up learning both Spanish and English as a child. My Spanish has definitely suffered as a result of my two years living away from home, but I used this last summer as an opportunity to improve and practice with my family. So let’s hope I prepared myself enough. In the case that I didn’t I will have time to adjust. I just need to remind myself that everyone else is probably in the same exact boat as me and we can all learn together. On top of that, my host family will fully immerse me in the language again and hopefully correct any of my grammatical errors.
- Will I Make Friends?
My response: Studying abroad is basically like starting college again. Completely new environment, campus full of strangers, and all of them just as eager to make friends as I am. So, this really is nothing to worry about. I feel like finding new friends is always the number one concern for people going somewhere new, but in the end that is the part that always comes naturally. Just as long as I remember to put myself out there and make an effort to meet my new classmates, the rest will happen seamlessly (or so I am hoping)! The main thing to remember is that we will all be in the same situation, going through the same adjustment, and hoping we all make friends to help us make this new place home.
- I have no idea what to expect once I get there.
My response: Isn’t that the whole reason you did this in the first place? To do something entirely different and learn so much more about yourself the world outside of your bubble? That being said, it’s okay to have no idea what to expect!! As so many of my friends and family have been telling me in the weeks leading up to my departure, fear and excitement go hand in hand. We should always do things that scare us because those often lead to the best experiences. Therefore, having no idea what to expect and fearing the array of possibilities of what could happen just means there is that much more room for greatness during my time abroad. What better first lesson than learning to accept and embrace your fears?
- Will the culture shock be a lot to handle?
My response: This question is a little different for me, since I grew up in a household full of Latinos. Therefore, the adjustment from Latinos to a Spaniard home should not be as startling as it could be for others. However, I am still left with that question of what will my adjustment be like? Will the culture in Spain end up being super different than what I grew up with? Will it be very similar? I think regardless of the differences, I usually adapt to change well. It might take some time, but the core similarities of our cultures will help me to find comfort in this world of newness. I think that is what we should all be doing, finding that one area of comfort, whether it be the food, the conversations, the friendliness, whatever clicks with you the most and use that to ease into this new environment. We’ll all adapt soon enough.
- Will I miss it once I leave?
My response: I know, you’re probably thinking I’m crazy for pondering thoughts about what it will be like to leave Spain before I even get there, but that’s how my brain works and I’m sure some other people think the same way. Despite all the uncertainty about what is to come, I think one thing is guaranteed, once a place becomes your home and your routine of course you’ll miss it once you leave. That being said, these four months will probably go by so much faster than I can even anticipate, and I hope to make the most of it.
