Travel and exploring the unknown is possibly one of the most exciting things in life. I have always had a passion for traveling and exploring new cultures. So, when I saw the option to study abroad I was ecstatic! Now I could not only see new places and things but also learn about it. It was difficult to choose what places I wanted to go but narrowed it down to New Zealand, Greece, and England. After some contemplation, I decided to do all three. When I have traveled in the past and chatted with older, wiser travelers they always say “travel when you are young!” So this summer I am taking their advice. I could travel when I get out of college but who knows how much time I will have free and I find it more rewarding to learn about the things I am seeing, it gives me a whole new perspective and makes me have a whole new appreciation for the area. To prepare for these very different trips, I first looked at the weather to see what kinds of clothing I should pack. I know for some of my trips I will be moving around quite a bit to visit new places which means lots of hotels. Living out of a suitcase can be hard so I ordered travel bags to help keep everything organized and separated them into categories such as dresses, athletic wear, and shirts. After packing I tried to research any customs or concerns the local people have so I could blend in and absorb the culture. Doing this research can also help with culture shock, it is important to know what you are going in to. Since I am going to places with different adaptors for charging, I decided to get a converter that has multiple country adaptations on it. Also, I decided to bring an extension cord with chargers built in because I figured it would be helpful since I’m going to have roommates on my trips. This way everyone will be able to charge their phones, cameras, or anything else they might need. Thinking about everything I have to pack can be stressful, especially since I am going to be gone for basically three months. It can also be exciting as I think about all of the amazing opportunities and events that I will partake in. I have never been away from my family for this long and I know that I will miss them but my mom always says “if you’re happy then I’m happy” so I know that they are excited for my experience as well. I hope that I will have many amazing stories to tell them when I return. Some of the things that I am most excited to see are the Shire in New Zealand, the Temple of Poseidon in Greece, and the Radcliff Camera in England. These places are what I have seen in the media and are iconic of these locations and generally what I think about when someone mentions those countries. I could not be more excited to study abroad!