The Expectations VS Reality of Studying Abroad
by Lekhya Kantheti
What My Study Abroad Experience In Madrid Was Actually Like
Before coming to Madrid, I had a very specific idea of what my semester would look like. Some of it was right, but most of it was not even things you can expect or comprehend, in a good way. So here’s what it’s actually been like for me:
1) I’ll force myself to learn Spanish just for my class…
REALITY: The Spanish is actually forced on you. And I love it.
It’s hard to get by a day without saying at least a couple of words or sentences in Spanish. In European countries, as you must know, it’s more of an expectation to not primarily converse in English. We need to at the very least attempt to order the café con leche as café con leche, the reality of which I felt when I actually started living here.
You also can’t just absorb a language. It takes practice and a genuine intention to use it for it to become more of a second nature. Paying attention in my Spanish class and participating more definitely made me more confident putting the new vocabulary to use. Talking with my friends in Spanish helped me so much in forming sentences that actually made sense.
The main thing is overcoming the anxiety of messing up and actually putting yourself and your Spanish out there. Now, I make the effort of asking waitresses ‘Como se dice..?” because they appreciate it and are genuinely helpful, unlike the French.
2) I will travel every weekend…
REALITY: Madrid is more than enough
It is so much more fulfilling to let yourself be absorbed by a place entirely. Traveling is fun, but it can get tiring very quickly. After a few trips, you might just want to stay in one place for a second.
Madrid, and even Spain, doesn’t get old. There’s always so much to do and see all the time. I found a Costco on the side of a highway yesterday.
After visiting quite a few places over the past few weekends, Spain is still my favorite. Taking the time to stay here and do things that people who actually live here do made me feel a lot closer to the place and a lot more comfortable in it.
3) I’ll Figure Things Out As I Go…
REALITY: Please don’t.
Planning makes everything easier. This isn’t something I gave a lot of thought about, but planning helps so much. When you decide on a trip, don’t delay booking it or figuring out what you’re doing there. It not only makes the trip feel more effortless, but also saves you so much money.
Plan your meals as well. When you’re abroad, it gets easier to spend more and eat out but there’s only so much of that you can do before you’re scared to check your bank account. Place limits on when you eat out and where you spend so you never feel overwhelmed or stressed.
You can still be spontaneous, but having some kind of plan goes a long way.
4) I’ll Say Yes to Everything…
REALITY: You Can’t, and That’s Fine
I think everyone comes in with the mindset of saying yes to everything because you’re abroad and you want to make the most of it. That’s great. But it’s important to not spread yourself out too thin and keep yourself grounded even throughout this experience.
Just because you’re abroad doesn’t mean you won’t feel drained, burnt out, or feel exhausted or overstimulated or even homesick. You can’t always ‘rally’ and it’s okay not to.
I’ve realized it’s better to know your limits than to force yourself to do and cover everything and end up burnt out.
5) Everything has to go right for this to be good…
REALITY: Most things work out!
This isn’t really an expectation that’s generalized but I came in feeling very anxious and scared, especially being assigned the ‘worst’ dorm so far away from everyone else (and without a kitchen).
But once I got here and took my time, I couldn’t be happier. I’ve met so many amazing people who I’ve bonded with just because we got food poisoning from the dining hall food at the same time, or met in the elevator, or even took a chance to share a room with. Just give things time.
