Education Abroad introduces new GPA Access Abroad initiative

As I went abroad I learned so much about myself. I learned that I am someone who just can’t sit still. I am always moving and always having a plan. That’s probably why I planned every single trip that us girls went on. As much as I complained about doing it, I secretly liked booking all the Air BnB’s, getting the timing for our trains right, and getting to see what things we could see in a city and make our dreams a reality even if I messed up and got us private rooms a few times on accident. Besides, it’s not like I really had any obligations while I was there and needed to give myself some sort of purpose.

I gained more confidence abroad than I ever thought possible. My friends from home always told me I needed some more of that confidence stuff, but I shrugged it off and thought I was just thought I didn’t have much to boast about. After figuring out language barriers, traveling to so many different countries, and seeing the world, I’m happy with who I am. I’m comfortable navigating and know if I put my mind to something, I can do it. I can now deal with difficult people and difficult situations and that’s something I’m proud of myself for.

I also learned that money is meant to be spent. I always saved up, severely looked at the prices on menus, and worried that I wouldn’t have enough saved up for whatever life may throw at me. I didn’t worry about this abroad because I knew every penny, even those several pennies wasted on stupid mistakes like booking the wrong train from Madrid to Barcelona or tipping when that wasn’t a thing, was going towards my experience in Europe. No money spent is wasted when it’s on experiences you’ll remember for a lifetime.  I came back home with about $200 in my bank account but memories that made it all worth it. Besides, that’s what summer is for nowadays, right?

I learned that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I  felt like I was always hearing complaints about America, and thought maybe the world would shine a little brighter across the pond and everyone would be singing Kumbuya and never say a mean thing to one another. And I was wrong. I realized that every continent, country, business, person deals with daily struggles and arguments and unfortunately things like terrorism and attacks exist. We went to Paris the day after a shooting at the Champs Elysees and seeing the large men in their green suits carrying guns that probably weigh more than me walking around opened my eyes to the tragedies that happens all over the world. Though the world is a beautiful place, people like this do exist and I realized that abroad.

But on that note, I also realized I have a blessed life. All those scary, terrible awful things can bog you down, but so frequently I was also reminded that I am so fortunate to be able to study abroad in Prague and travel to so many places and then after all that fun and adventure come back to a loving family and work a nice job in Downtown Denver and go to the greatest school in the world. When in Austria I remember saying I had terrible luck and my friend Alec would look at me and say, “Stop saying that. You’re in Austria with some of the best friends you’ll ever have while studying abroad. Your life is awesome”, and he couldn’t have been more right. Life is pretty awesome. While I was sad thinking about leaving Prague and mentioned about ten thousand times how I’m “never leaving” I really have a new appreciation for the life I lead back home. I appreciate the little things, the things I never noticed about life, the simplest things like how beautiful my campus is that people admired when I was admiring their beautiful architecture in Europe. How my parents are always there for me, the friends I have at home that make me a better person every day, and of course, Taco Bell and queso. Can’t forget that.

In all reality, I could spend days, months, probably years talking about all the things I learned about the world and myself while abroad but all I can really say is you won’t know until you try it out for yourself.