Goals

There are so many goals that I think studying abroad is going to help me accomplish. Learning a new language, experiencing a new culture, living away from my family, and seeing my field from a new perspective are just a few of them. But one of the most important and potentially the most difficult goal that I hope to achieve is to learn to relinquish control and step out of my comfort zone enthusiastically and confidently. I do not like the feeling of not having a plan, whether it is school work or vacation that I am facing. And I know that living abroad by myself will be an experience full of uncomfortable situations in which I have no plan. However, this is just as exciting as it is terrifying, and I know that with some practice I will be able to improve my ability to be spontaneous and deal with problems as they come. Apart from being a great skill to have in every day life, I think the ability to creatively solve problems as they arise is essential to my (hopefully) future career as a physician. You cannot possibly prepare for every patient or every situation.

So this fall, while I am learning incredible things and seeing incredible sights, I hope that I also push myself to improvise, jump outside my comfort zone, and figure out how to deal with life when things don't go as planned.