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Question: What has been the most meaningful part of your time abroad? Whether it was a lesson you learned, a place you went or a person you got to know, what was the most significant part of your trip overall?
Written by: Alfred Amasanti
I cannot think of one particular event, but I do think that studying abroad is more about the culmination of all the events that you go through, how these events change your perspective of the world, and how you act around others and on your own.
I think traveling plays a huge part in this development. When you travel, you have to find things to do, and when and how to do them. You’re either alone or with friends, and both are great options. They both give you very different experiences, though. When you’re with friends, you bond more and build great relationships. When I go back to Boston, I’ll definitely still hang out with some of the people I’ve met here.
I didn’t really expect to like traveling alone so much, but I found it to be an incredible experience. The great thing about youth hostels is that you can find a lot of people you can relate to; there are a lot of study abroad students, not only from the U.S., but also from Europe – Europeans go on a trip called “Erasmus,” which is pretty much the same thing as studying abroad. These people are usually young, wanting to have fun and learn more about the place they’re in right now. They sound like you, right?
I never really thought of myself as a social person, but each day I think I’m starting to become a bit more social.
Living abroad cracks the social shell with an axe pick. Not only was I forced to rely on personal connections just to get around, but I also realized pretty soon that if I didn’t try to be friendlier, living abroad would suck. You can make studying abroad into the most amazing time of your life, but you have to put some effort into it.
I tend to think of myself as someone with an international perspective. My life story in a nut shell began when I was born in London to Italian and Argentine parents, lived in Argentina for 18 years, and now I’m studying in Boston. I can add living in Rome to that roster now.
Beyond the obvious political connotations that come with living in Europe, I think it’s the lifestyle that is the biggest change. People like to take their time in daily tasks, they like to spend hours talking over a cup of coffee and they are perfectly content with a small apartment. I’d like to take that back with me.
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