To those of you who dream of new places, smells, sounds, and tastes…
To those of you who get homesick for a place you’ve never been…
To those of you who worry about getting on that plane…
This is the part of your trip that no one talks about – the butterflies in your stomach that you get while imagining being away for all things familiar, the questions regarding how you will feel in an atmosphere completely foreign to all you have ever known, and the insecurities about whether or not you will find friends to share your adventures with.
These are all normal thoughts that we all have before leaving our home country for the first time. It will not be easy, but I can assure you that you will grow in ways you never expected. Below are a few words to the wise from someone who has felt all of the fear, joy, confusion, and elation that we travelers blindly seek.
Getting lost is the only way to find your way
You will get lost – both figuratively and literally. But I can also assure you that you will find your way. Don’t stress it. Have a map available on your phone (preferably offline) and ask for help when you need it. Take note of the major avenues and after a few days, that impossible maze of streets will transform into something that you recognize until you wonder how you could have ever gotten lost there at all. At some point you may find yourself wondering why you came. Fight through those feelings and make yourself explore and try new things!
Being lonely is the best way to get to know yourself
You will notice that when you are in a place where no one knows you, a piece of your identity is directly connected with your friends and family that you left behind. This can be a scary sensation and you will find yourself asking, “Who am I?” Instead of suppressing these questions and emotions, embrace them as they are part of the reason you decided to leave home and travel in the first place. Once you get past the shock of feelings this way, you will find that it is quite liberating. Who are you? Whoever you want to be – and you can decide that little by little as you go along.
Sometimes you figure out what you like by experiencing things you don’t
While being abroad you will encounter new foods, fashion trends, music, concepts of time (shall I go on?). You will like some of these customs and you with dislike some others. My advice to you is to embrace whatever new thing you are trying and enjoy the moment. You might surprise yourself by what new things you can get used to in a little amount of time – all you need is the right frame of mind. When you do feel out of place and uncomfortable, laugh it off. When you do return home, you will carry these new experiences with you and will likely appreciate your own customs more (or miss the new ones you learned while in Argentina).
You will find out what’s important by going without
For a determined (sometimes undetermined) amount of time, you will have to fit your life into a suitcase… or two or three. Although there will be moments when you wish you had that article of clothing you feel you are missing, you will also find a way to make due with what you have. When you return to your belongings, you might even find that you have an excess of things and feel the need to downsize and declutter.
Your friends will become your family when you need a helping hand
Once you physically distance yourself from your loved ones by traveling, you will realize how much you depend on them for love, direction, and support. A sense of belonging is what we all seek, but it is also easy to close oneself off to new people. Give the idea of making new friends a chance. People will surprise you and you may develop relationships more quickly that are more profound than the ones you temporarily left behind.
All in all, relax and let yourself open up to this new place and new culture that you are a guest in. You never know what treasures you may find along the way. Most importantly, have fun while studying abroad in Buenos Aires!
Heather Houde
Edited by: Rachel Orga
