Ready or Not, Here I Come

“Are you ready?!”

“How’s your French?”

“What exactly are you doing?”

“At least you won’t have to shave while you are there!”

These are just a few of the most popular statements people make when they find out about the adventure I am about to embark on. Thankfully, I had a couple of weeks off between leaving for France and when school got out. I have had some good preparation time, relaxation, and I was able to have some fun with family and friends. The only problem being… how exactly do you prepare for a trip like this? It’s both a physical and mental process. My only answer from my experiences so far is, you can’t be completely ready! You go to Wal-mart and buy all the necessities you need to survive for 8 weeks, you read countless blogs and pinterest links, you book all of your flights and other things months before you leave, and you talk to people who have had similar experiences. However in my opinion, there is no possible way to fully prepare yourself for the months abroad up ahead. I know actually opening up my suitcase and putting things in it would be a good start (no, this hasn’t happened yet- 26 hours  left and counting ). It doesn’t matter how many blogs you read or people you talk to, studying and working abroad is still going to be an absolutely terrifying feeling at times. Not knowing what will happen exactly, being so far from family and friends, missing out on things back home can make it difficult. I feel confident that it is completely normal to feel this way. The element of the unknown is daunting, yet knowing the places you will have the opportunity to see, the things you will learn about, the culture you will surround yourself in, and the friends you will make be worth facing every fear, uncertainty, or struggle that might be put in your path. So…. Ready or not, here I come Paris, Toulouse, Barcelona, and the many escapades in between!