Being a part of the spring of 2019 semester’s study abroad program was a last-minute decision, as were many, if not all, of my decisions and plans while studying abroad. You could say that it was an ongoing pattern of mine while abroad.
When Kayla, one of my best friends, said that a spot for study abroad the following semester had opened up, I did not hesitate to fill out the form she had for me. My fear of missing out was at an all-time high. It was a little extreme of me, but I did not call my parents to ask them if going to England was okay. After all, they were going to pay for the whole program and all of my expenses. You see, I had applied to study abroad the previous semester, but when I heard that there was a waitlist of over ten people, I gave up without even trying to sign up.
So here I was again, faced with the opportunity to go – this time, having an actual spot. I do not regret signing those papers without my parents’ permission – sorry Mom and Dad. Because of my ongoing pattern to make last-minute decisions with my friends, I can honestly say that I made some of the best decisions of my life.
Because of this habit, I was able to go to Bordeaux, France, where my friend, Kayla, and I were locked out of our Airbnb at 11:30 PM and getting asked to pay 50 euros in cash because we did not meet with the host on time. That led to a very mad Ana telling the host that his request was unprofessional and not on the website through the phone. Thankfully, we made it inside and did not pay him the money. Despite having a rough start to the trip, it was, by far, one of my favorite ones throughout my time abroad.
Because of this habit, I was able to go to San Sebastian, Spain, where Cate, Kayla, Ivria, and I spent a blissful, carefree day around the city and at the beach. Despite it being a little cold, we managed to enjoy the water and the very limited sunshine.
And finally, because of this not-so-terrible habit, I was able to go to Rome, Italy, along with Cate and Kayla, to visit the Vatican City. This was not on the original plan, but thanks to Kayla’s persistence to go, we made it a must. If it wasn’t for this unexpected attraction, we would not have made new friends from the Netherlands – Nina and Danine! We even walked around the Vatican and had dinner together afterward. We even got to witness a family getting scammed at a restaurant. We’ll never forget that day. To this day, we still keep in touch, and I hope we see each other again.
If it wasn’t for the impulsive and spontaneous decisions I made with my friends, I do not think my study abroad experience would have been as memorable.
