The Value of my Study Abroad Experience
How a six-month study abroad experience in Austria transformed my understanding of home and myself.
My foot hit the tarmac, and I was finally in Graz, Austria.
Until that moment, I had been in a whirlwind of packing, goodbyes, and anticipation. I was so excited to see more of the world that I never once paused to develop expectations. I didn’t think about what it would be like to live on a different continent for six months, and I certainly didn’t consider the fact that I would be a foreigner to everyone.
But one breath of that fresh, clean Austrian air, and I knew none of that mattered. I was in Graz, and I loved it.
Indeed, it was within my study abroad experience that a new perception of the word home was formed.
I was only eighteen at the time, but I was quickly captivated by the educational setting. Within the Technische Universität Graz, so many “foreign” cultures congregated that it was difficult to say who actually was foreign: American, Japanese, Brazilian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, European, Indian, Korean, English, Colombian, Russian, Polish, South African, and Austrian students alike all came together under one commonality—we loved and lived in Graz. Together, we explored the city, learned German, bought bicycles, learned from each other, and developed bonds that continue to this day.
The education I received and the experiences I had in Graz helped me not only gain independence but also stand out in a crowd.
Back home, I am the “foreign” student; it’s very rare to find a girl from Texas who speaks German. I appear interesting to my peers, and my experience abroad allows me to stand out in a pile of résumés. The homes I have created for myself allow me to be open to any circumstance, culture, and possibility. If I had developed expectations before I moved, they would have been exceeded far beyond my imagination.
Studying abroad is a challenge with a lifelong reward.
The experiences you gain, the friendships you make, and the homes you learn to build for yourself and others are worth feeling like an outsider, even if only for a short period of time.
One of the most important things I hope you take from this article—if you are thinking about studying abroad—is this: do not let fear keep you from studying abroad.
I guarantee you nothing truly amazing has ever been achieved by giving into fear. Be brave, and above all, be curious. Engage in a world outside your comfort zone and discover the world around you. Most importantly, discover the one within yourself.
Through my study abroad experience, I have become more conscious of a wider set of ideas about humanity.
My planet feels smaller, yet my insights feel larger. My study abroad experience has given me strengths and perspectives that continue to fuel my motivation. My intellect has been stimulated, and my mind has been opened by living in close proximity to people from cultures different from my own.
Today, I have worked and studied in more than six countries worldwide, and even now, I still wonder what the world has in store for me. What I do know is this: wherever I go is where home will be.
