As I sit in an airport in Taipei and await my connecting flight from this city to Brisbane, the final leg of this 25-hour avian adventure, I’ll admit that though some of my fears have been squashed, still more have arisen. In the time that I’ve had to think about my quickly approaching time abroad, no longer am I worried about surviving the first 16-hour flight (been there, done that, thank goodness), or even the next part of the trip. Instead, I am thinking about the people I have left behind; the family and friends that I have known (or it seems like I have known) for my entire life. I worry that in by absence things will change so much that I will not be able to recognize my old life upon my return. I worry that I myself will become unrecognizable. I’ve heard rumors about studying abroad being the experience of a lifetime, and about how after studying abroad you will never be the same. Is that what I want? Yes and no. I want to grow but I also want to remain the same. This thought leads to one of my biggest goals in studying abroad: personal growth. Though I fear change I know that that is the only way to truly grow and embrace one’s full potential. I want to learn how to be comfortable with myself without the safety net of my family and the life in New England that I have always known. This impending four-month journey is a test for myself.
Why am I testing myself, and why do I feel the need to? In my past few years at Northeastern University, it seems that I have gotten stuck in a routine of sorts. When not on co-op, my days consisted of classes, volunteering, and studying in Snell library until I could not hold my eyes open anymore. Although all of this studying did allow me to maintain a high GPA, I have begun to feel trapped. Growing up, I had always dreamt of traveling, exploring, and immersing myself in different cultures and ways of living. I wanted to join the Peace Corps, build houses with Habitat for Humanity, and volunteer as a medical provider in impoverished countries. These are all things that I still want to do. However, until now, I had never followed through with any of my travel plans, and honestly as I sit here in this airport I still can’t believe I’m going through with it. I chose Northeastern University not only because it is an incredible school but perhaps more so because it is located only a little over an hour away from my home and I would have the ability to travel home at any time should I need to. Now, entire time zones away from where I have spent my entire life, this ability has been taken from me and so far I’m okay with it. (Fingers crossed that I don’t jinx myself and get incredibly homesick as soon as I get to Australia.)
When I get to Australia I am most looking forward to opening myself up to new experiences. I intend to travel around the Gold Coast and the entirety of Australia. I also intend to take a trip to New Zealand and see if there are really as many sheep there as people say (hopefully yes). I intend to skydive, surf, paddle-board, visit wildlife sanctuaries, hike mountains, swim under waterfalls, and eat foods with names that I have never heard of before. In other words, I am most looking forward to living life. I know that this sounds cliché and broad (it is, I’ll admit it), but honestly that is what this trip is all about. By saying yes to new experiences and opening myself up to this Australian culture, I will be able to pop this little New England/American bubble I have been living in and experience life to the fullest.
