Anticipation and Expectation Exercise (Study Abroad)
A. What are the five things that you are most looking forward to about studying abroad?
The food is something I am excited to try. You’d be able to tell if you saw me, but I love food and although Spaniards don’t like spicy food, I’m sure it will still be amazing because of how different it is compared to American food.
Going to a new country that I have never been before is exciting to me and I curious to see what the culture is like. I want to see what they wear and what their hobbies are and see if there are any significant differences from where I come from.
Learning another language is one thing I’m not only looking forward to, but I’m going to make sure happens. I’ve been wanting to learn another language since I was in high school, and I feel being in a country where English isn’t the dominate language will force me to learn.
With architecture being a minor, I am anxious to see all the architecture studying abroad has to offer. From the Metropol Parasol to the Sagrada familia, I am very excited to study abroad and explore these architectural icons.
Fùtbol is something I cannot wait to see when I study abroad. It’s my second favorite sport behind American football and Europe has some of the best players and teams in the world.
B. What are the five things that currently worry you most about going overseas?
Losing all my valuables and information is something I am worried about. I’m a foreigner when I study abroad, so I’m afraid of losing my information and not being able to come back when I want to.
The exchange rate is something that is always on the back of my mind while I get ready to study abroad. I worry the money I am saving and planning on bringing over will not be enough for what I want to see and do.
Getting lost is another thing that worries me when I go study abroad. Because I am not familiar with the country I will be in, I will worry about getting lost and not understanding how to get back home.
Although I plan on learning another language while abroad, I worry it may be hard to communicate with the locals and I won’t be able to find what I need or want at a store.
I worry a little about how my girlfriend and family will react to me being across the country and away from them. This will be the furthest I’ve ever been from them and it’s not an easy trip that any of us can make if we want to see each other.
C. What are the five things (people, places, activities, etc.) you believe you will miss most from home when abroad?
Being able to just go to my friend’s house to hang out and see a familiar face is something I will miss while studying abroad.
Some of the food that I crave back home will most likely not be in the country I study abroad in, so I may miss my cravings.
I will for sure miss my family and girlfriend. I have a close relationship with them, so it will be tough to leave them for an extended period of time. I at least will be able to contact them.
I will miss Austin, which is where I have been living for the past 9 and a half years. I love this city and I will miss the weirdness.
Of course, like every dog lover out there, I will miss my dog Brody. Although he is technically my sister’s dog, I still love him as if he was the family dog and it’ll be hard not getting to see him or play with him while I’m in another country.
D. What are the five things (people, places, activities, etc.) you believe you will miss least from home when abroad?
Back to the food, I think I will miss some of it from home just because it is what I am use to eating, but I’m sure I will love the new food I get introduced to when abroad.
I don’t know what Europe will offer me weather wise, but I know I will enjoy getting away from the humidity here in Austin. I’ve never liked humidity or the heat, so I am hoping to get away from that for a little bit while abroad.
While abroad, I probably won’t be on social media a whole lot and probably won’t watch much of the media on TV as I do now, and I don’t think those will be things that I will miss; simply because I’ll have so much new things around me to take my attention away from it.
Lubbock, TX. I go to Texas Tech University and I am relieved that I will be taking a break from west Texas and taking classes elsewhere, and in this case it’s even sweeter since I will be traveling abroad to take those classes.
I think I will be okay not waking up and doing my same old routine that I would at Texas Tech. I’m excited to wake up in a new environment and know that it’s a new routine every day.
E. My greatest single challenge overseas will be:
Trusting myself that I can be physically, mentally, and emotionally strong when I leave the country on my own. This will be something entirely new to me and it will be a little nerve racking, but I need to trust myself to stay calm and enjoy the trip, because who knows when I will get another chance to travel this far out of the country again.