Blog #1: Goals

If you told me a year ago that I would be in the process of studying abroad, I probably would've chuckled and shook my head. As it is, this whole experience of preparation and making sure I have such and such document ready and turned in on time and making sure I didn't forget anything has left me, quite frankly, frazzled. Only once I get on the plane will it finally sink in, I think.

I believe that once you've had a taste of travel, you become a sort of nomad at heart. That has definitely been the case for me ever since I went to South Korea and I have felt restless ever since. That's why I have pushed through my discomfort and chosen to study abroad for a year in both Japan and South Korea (one semester each).

I'd say my goals are as follows:

• Learning the language

• Seeing things from a different perspective than the American one

• Just flying the nest, so to speak. Getting away from the same old and gaining some independence and freedom.

 I'm sure other things will pop up as I go along that I hadn't thought of before, but that's the beauty of traveling. You can make plans and expect something to go one way but end up with something entirely different and possibly even better.

As for my fears, I'd say being away from my family is the number one concern I have. I was distant from my family when I was in South Korea for two months, but this is going to be a much longer duration and in a completely different setting. So, there's that. I think I worry a lot about anything concerning financial stuff, whether it be being able to afford studying abroad to begin with, or if an emergency comes up while I'm over in Japan or Korea. Those are definitely big concerns for me. And, then, I worry about how I will be received as an American given the political climate in many countries. A year ago, I wouldn't have thought twice about being an American in another country, but now I feel hesitant. I hope and pray that I don't come across extremely difficult and tense situations because of my nationality.

I plan on maximizing my experience by being as Japanese and Korean as possible when I'm in those places. That means I will speak Japanese and Korean, eat the food, and just live the daily life of a Japanese and Korean as much as possible while I'm there. I think that will allow me to maximize the most of my experience studying abroad.