Going abroad by yourself entails a lot of scary new realities.
1. I'm going to be approximately 4,296 miles away from home. I've been further away from home before but not by myself.
2. I won't be in constant contact with my friends and family while I'm in Morocco like I am here.
3. I'm going to be living in a culture that is very different from my own. I'll be living in a society in which women are treated far differently than in Tennessee.
4. I won't have the same comfort foods in Morocco.
5. I'm going to miss home. A LOT!
With these new realities come new mindsets and ways of dealing with stress. I need to step outside of my comfort zone while I'm in Morocco. I'm going to have to work to make friends and make connections with those who are also studying abroad in Morocco. By doing this I will hopefully find a support group while I'm in Morocco so that I'm not calling home every day.
I also plan on keeping a journal while I'm abroad so that I don't forget anything and so that I have a place where I can write down all my thoughts. I won't be judged by a book, so if I think something is just so strange and weird, I can write it down instead of saying it aloud and risk insulting someone.
While abroad, I have made myself promise that I will not call home everyday. I'm going to miss my friends and family so much, but it will be made easier to adjust to life abroad if I limit contact with them. That being said, if I've had a really tough day, I reserve the right to call my mother.
I'm about two months away from embarking on a wonderful new adventure. I have so many emotions right now, but most of all I'm excited, and I'm sure I can tackle the adversities that come with living abroad.
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