Student Bloggers

Preparing for my trip abroad has been an interesting experience. In the last few weeks I have been watching every Scottish television show and movie to, as my mom says, “get into the Scottish mood.” What has been one of the most interesting things for me has been preparing socially to leave.

I grew up in Minneapolis, which is essentially connected to the city of St. Paul, in Minnesota. I currently go to college in St. Paul. I have never been farther then a 20 minute drive from my family. Now, getting ready to leave for five full months away my parents and my siblings, is an unusual and nerve wracking experience.

In the last two weeks there has been many goodbyes and “last times” I will do something. As a joke a friend who is also studying abroad this semester said “It feels like we are dying of a terminal illness. Everyone is extremely sad we are leaving them, but acting happy for us because we are going to a better place.” Thinking this through, it does make a lot of sense, however morbid it is. Everyone really treats you oddly the last few weeks before you leave to study abroad. Here are the five main kinds of reactions I have gotten from the people around me.

1. There will be the people to guilt you.
   There are some people, mostly friends, who will try and guilt you for “leaving them.” It makes you feel bad, but you have to remember you are doing this for you and it’s going to be great, they won’t actually hate you when you go.
2. There will be people (most likely your mother) who will be really sad and possibly cry a lot.
   Mostly just my mom, who is usually a crier. She has been crying about me leaving since January of last year. She’s more than excited for me to go, but just still very sad I won’t be here with her. Everyone else is sad too but most people are okay, my best friends have gotten a bit sadder but know it’s going to be a great experience for me.
3. There will be people that are overly excited about it.
   Everyone fits into this category. Whenever you tell anyone you are studying abroad, they get so excited for you and congratulate you. People who fit mostly into this category are people I am not as close with, coworkers, family I don’t see often, and professors.
4. There will be people who avoid the fact that you’re leaving.
   This has been the most surprising reaction to me leaving. Specifically my dad and my brother don’t seem to like to talk about it. I know it is sad for them both and it is weird for them to think of not seeing me for half a year but it is just interesting that they seem to distract themselves or avoid the subject.
5. There will be people can’t really grasp that you're ACTUALLY leaving.
   I tried to explain what studying abroad is and how much time I will be gone. Neither my eleven-year-old nor nine-year-old nephews really understand the concept. I've told them “this is the last time you’ll see me before I leave. It will be summer when I come back.” They just kind of shake their head like, yeah okay. But I know after a few weekends of me being gone they will be a bit more confused. Other than children, most other people fit into this category (even me). It doesn’t feel real to me yet, it’s hard to imagine me being away for so long in a foreign place. This seems to encompass most of my family and friends. We just can't believe it.

I don’t know what to expect of the time abroad. It’s a scary journey I am about to go on alone, but I do know it will be very good for me. No matter how the people around me have reacted to my coming departure I know I am ready to start this adventure.