From the moment I received the email with my study abroad acceptance, I was eagerly looking forward to my semester abroad in Oxford. I was looking forward to trying new things, making lifelong friends, and gaining life experiences I could share with others. In the untimely conclusion of my study abroad semester, I can look back and see how all my trips and experiences have given me these treasured memories and valuable lessons.
While we did an extensive amount of exploring in our home city, Oxford, we also had the opportunity to travel to other places in Europe. Our first day trip was to London, where we explored the famous landmarks and art museums the city had to offer. The next weekend, a group of us went to Paris, visiting iconic sights such as the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles. Next, we went to the Lake District for another class trip amidst the breathtaking scenery of the lakes and the mountains. For a weekend trip, two of my roommates and I traveled to the Republic of Ireland, visiting castles and coastlines as well as an untimely tropical storm. Lastly, we traveled to the Spanish cities of Pamplona, San Sebastian, and Bilbao, where we experienced beautiful beaches, good food, and kindly people to conclude our time abroad.
While I was in Europe, I learned that kindness crosses the language barrier. In Spain, even when a waiter or cashier and I did not speak the same language, I could still understand their efforts in kindness. Furthermore, studying abroad taught me to appreciate the little things. While a place like the Lake District is certainly not the top tourist attraction, I would much rather spend my time in the beautiful stillness of the countryside than the fussy bustle of the Eiffel Tower.
With my study abroad experiences, I can now better appreciate the world around me. I have a renewed love and appreciation for the universality of art in that I can appreciate a French painting without knowing a single word in French. Additionally, I have a newfound compassion for those who feel foreign or out of place. In my travels to different countries, I have personally been the person awkwardly out of place, either lost in the metro or struggling with the local language. Back at home, I can show understanding to these people and ensure them that they are welcome and they do belong. In this way, my study abroad experiences have shaped who I am today.
It was on the bus ride back to our house from the London airport that our professors announced that our program was “recalled.” Two months prematurely, in a matter of two days, we had to pack everything and say goodbye to the city that had become home. Looking back over the last two months, I realized how much I had seen and experienced even while our time was cut short. Studying abroad was the experience of a lifetime. Even though my time in Europe did not play out the way I had expected, I am more than grateful for the pictures and stories that I have with me now.
