by Ella Majors | Summer 2023 |
If you had told me a year ago that I would be spending a month on the other side of the world with a group of people I didn’t know, I would have said you were crazy. But that’s truly what this experience was- crazy. Just a few days into June, I hopped on a flight with nine other girls, only knowing of a few from Psychology classes we had in common. We left sharing more than just meals together; inside jokes and amazing experiences as we saw new parts of the world as friends. To think I almost didn’t pursue this trip due to fears and anxieties makes me so grateful for the girl who decided a life-changing opportunity was worth feeling uncomfortable about at times.
My name is Ella Majors, and I am a Psychology major from San Antonio, Texas. I took a lot of trips with my family growing up, but always vacations that we intricately planned months in advance. I had never been anywhere in Europe but was drawn to the romantic idea of the continent. The thought of reading for hours outside a cafe or taking a stroll to a pastry stand whenever I wanted to felt like a fantasy and nothing more. When the opportunity arose to actually live in a European city for a month while studying a field I am passionate about, I was immediately interested. However, I cannot lie; I had my reservations. I did not know anyone in the Psychology in Leipzig Summer 2023 program, did not know a lick of German, and had never traveled on my own. After months of deliberating, I realized this was an opportunity I could not miss. I knew I would always regret not going to Germany because I worried about not making friends and embarrassing myself over a potential language barrier.
My time in Leipzig was out of a dream. Our Psychology group took multiple excursions throughout Germany to study the Social Psychology of aspects of German history, such as the Holocaust and the Berlin Wall. We visited Berlin, Weimar/Buchenwald, and Wittenberg, as well as several destinations, museums, and gorgeous churches in Leipzig. While the subject of many of these trips was emotionally trying at times, I am so appreciative to have a deeper understanding of them. I also was able to take fun trips with my new friends, like the weekend we spent biking around and exploring Prague.
Additionally, a friend and I spent a week visiting Dublin, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. While the entire month was amazing, this was definitely a highlight for me. I loved that ACU’s Study Abroad program gave us the freedom to make our own travel plans and explore new countries with friends. From the breathtaking cathedrals, rainy days spent strolling on cobblestone streets, luxurious hot chocolate, and surprisingly amazing Thai food, this time spent in Ireland and Scotland will forever be ingrained in my memory.
Something about this study abroad experience that I found particularly different from any traveling I’ve done before was the amount of independence and adaptability required to thrive. I had to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, not always knowing plans, and expecting to run into obstacles at every turn. I believe this is what made this trip such a growing experience for me. I learned even more about self-reliance and how rewarding it can be to try new things. And while I got tons of pretty pictures and ate really amazing food, this lesson was the most impactful experience I would carry home with me.
