Study Abroad Essay: The Adventure Of A Lifetime

My university has approved my submission to go to this country. It is time to say goodbye to my current place and start a new chapter abroad. I have been waiting for this moment my whole life, and I did not think this time would come. When my professor told us that we were going abroad to start our internships, I did not have to think twice about making my choice. The place I chose is famous for having a lot of diversity, enthusiastic people, and beautiful wildlife. I must confess that I have never been outside of my country; however, I believe this adventure will be extraordinary. Therefore, I am very excited to experience the differences in their culture and compare them to mine. 

When I first landed, it was evident that the way people behaved here was utterly different from how people behaved in my country since everyone here is so open, bubbly, and energetic. I felt very weird and exhausted by the amount of energy I had to use to reciprocate the same positive attitude they were giving me. It got to a point where I started to worry about what would happen if I did not act like them. Due to these concerns, I decided to message a friend who was also living near my new home and asked her what she did and how she felt when she arrived here. After talking to my friend, she told me that it does take a while to adjust due to the cultural differences; however, once you do, you will become a better version of yourself.  

A couple of months later, my friend invited me to have dinner at her house with some of her local friends. I was nervous at first because I was the only new person in the group, and I was still learning about the country and its citizens. To be honest, if you asked me how the dinner went, I would have said it was excellent; however, I do not think they felt the same way. Later that night, one of the people started a conversation with me because he was worried I was too quiet. At first, I was very confused because that is just who I am, but for him, the absence of eye contact and the lack of my body language were huge concerns. In addition, I told him that I was doing good and nothing was going on, but I felt very uncomfortable in that situation. Towards the end of the night, I decided to stay and help my friend clean everything, but I also wanted her input in regards to the conversation that had happened. When everyone left, I told her what her friend had said about my attitude and why I was very confused. My friend understood where I was coming from, and she told me she was in a similar situation when she first arrived here. Moreover, my friend explained to me that these people are famous for using body language and intense eye contact with each other regardless if they are close to you or not. Because of that, they were unsure whether they could use their way of behaving with me since I was not very acquainted with their mannerism. 

To conclude, I knew coming to a different country would take some time to adjust; however, this whole experience taught me so much about these people, their culture, and how they behave. As a person who comes from a very reserved culture that is not aware of the context, I was introduced to a whole new perspective in the world of communication. Moreover, these unique cultural differences helped me become a more open-minded and appreciative person. I have come to the conclusion that the customs you grow up with are not always the ones you have to follow in every situation. Therefore, I would recommend everyone to step out of their comfort zone and be willing to make the mistakes that will shape your character for the better.