Who’s crazy enough to study abroad for a whole semester when they have responsibilities, friends, and a comfortable life at home? When I’m excited, I make quick decisions and studying abroad is just one example.

For this first post, I’d like to share why I chose to study abroad. When I’m feeling homesick, I can remind myself of my reasoning for this trip. I’ll also share my expectations and goals for my semester.

WHY

If you read the About section, then you know that I have a love for adventure and meeting new people. In addition to the many opportunities to explore in Europe, I want to be a better leader. Here is what I wrote in my scholarship application:

Studying abroad will encourage a paradigm shift, a change in the way I perceive the world and those around me. Broadening my experiences is necessary to forming stronger relationships, understanding the people around me, and thinking about global issues in a new light. In other words, I hope to become more aware of the people outside my own little world in Texas. Living immersed in a new culture will accelerate my global awareness and will enable me to be a better leader of a diverse team.

Leaders prioritize a diverse range of experience and pursue challenging and uncomfortable experiences as opportunities to learn. These skills will help in my education, post graduate career and in my personal life- I have witnessed these characteristics in student leaders, my boss, and my parents. Studying abroad will help me grow as a leader because I will live with other international students, and I will learn more about myself and the world through a new perspective in conversations. By understanding the perspectives of other people, I will be better equipped to serve them as a servant leader.

Studying abroad is a chance for me to learn about leadership and relationships in a way only possible with a long-term international experience.

EXPECTATIONS

I expect to be challenged in adapting to a different form of study. I think the classes will be just as challenging as in the US, but with fewer assignments and heavier-weighted exams. (I am taking the equivalent of 12 credit hours.)

I expect to travel each weekend outside of Prague. I’ll begin with exploring within Czech Republic, and then venture further out to places like Budapest, Vienna, Munich, Berlin, and Krakow. I want to spend as little time in my dorm as possible.

I expect to meet lots of people at my university and while traveling. I enjoy meeting new people and I am excited to learn from them. I bet most of the international students at this university are European and speak English well.

I only have a few expectations; I want to live in the present and experience everything with a fresh pair of eyes.

GOALS

To hold myself accountable, here are four goals I have for these 15 weeks:

• Take a weekend trip by myself
• Have a good relationship with my roommate
• Improve my storytelling and writing skills by posting once a week
• Reflect at the end of each day, week, and month to remember 🙂

Next week, I’ll share my experience skiing in Austria with my dad.

Two days until departure!