As I sit here in the London Heathrow Airport reflecting on the past six months that I have spent here, I am overcome with emotions. The past half year flew by so quickly, it actually feels like I should be landing here in Heathrow from America not leaving for good. I can not even count the amount of times I stopped in my tracks and thought to myself, “I am the luckiest person in the world for being given this once in a lifetime opportunity”. I was at a loss for words when trying to describe the level of joy and happiness that I was feeling on multiple occasions. The saying, the days are long but the years are quick, is very relatable especially now after having spent so much time here in a foreign country. The days where I missed my family and friends from back home dragged on and seemed endless but at the same time flew by so quickly. Half of a year is a significant amount of time to give up my accustomed life and drop everything to go on the adventure of a lifetime but every second of it was worth it. After traveling to 10 different amazing countries and 14 beautiful cities, I truly feel like I am a completely different person. I had to learn not only the ins and outs of various foreign places but also within myself. I taught myself a love for exploring which will never fade and a passion for learning new cultures and meeting extraordinary people. The amount of times that I had to go beyond my comfort zone was frightening at times but looking back, I have gained a new perspective on life which would not have been possible if I hadn’t of pushed myself to my own personal limits. I am a firm believer that the only time someone will learn unforgettable things is when they dare to go above and beyond what they are used to doing and fully immerse themselves in the fast paced life around them. I would not say that studying abroad in itself is life changing, but the people you meet, the places you go, and the unforgettable memories you create during your time studying abroad is what makes it a life changing experience.
