My Next Adventure: Study Abroad

Sep 6, 2016
1 min read

With fall fast approaching, so is the start of my year abroad in Athens, Greece! I have never been more excited, nervous, and mentally unprepared for something in my whole life. How does anyone prepare themselves to leave a comfortable, familiar home for a country they have never been to before?

I know little to nothing about the college or where I'm staying. I don't even know who my roommate is, who my classmates will be, or anyone living or studying abroad in Greece while I'm there. It's the first time I'll be taking on a new chapter of my life all alone. And to top it all off, I'm going to live somewhere where they don't even use the same alphabet I do. "It's [literally] all Greek to me."

I do have a few fears: getting homesick, feeling TOO uncomfortable (because any new change guarantees at least a little uncomfortableness), or not being able to make friends. But my list of things I'm looking forward to is WAY longer - exploring new places, trying delicious foods, all the pictures I've yet to take, (hopefully) learning a new language, meeting interesting people, learning about a different culture - to name a few.

I have no idea what this adventure will entail for me, but I am not scared! Just a little unsure of what to expect...

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

What foreign country would you live in if you had the chance?