Be careful, but not scared
Studying abroad is all about the experiences, adventures and friendships you make.
As said by D.H. Lawrence, “When one jumps over the edge, one is bound to land somewhere.”
This weekend, I did something I never thought I would, I zip-lined! This was an amazing experience, and sure, you can do this back in the states, but I had the experience of doing it for the first time with my friends in Costa Rica! As I walked up the hill my heart pumped so fast, but I kept walking. Once I got all strapped in, I still had the opportunity to back out, but instead, I took a deep breath and went down the first line! What a thrill! What a sight!
As we approached the last line, we had the chanced to do a Tarzan swing. For this, you literally just step off the edge of a tall platform and swing. Holy guacamole, was that drop scary! I can’t express how amazing this whole day was!
When studying abroad, you are faced with new experiences that may seem impossible and horrifying. My advice, take chances! Experience everything! Chances are, you won’t have that same opportunity again!
My philosophy; you only live once and you need to enjoy everything that life hands you, at the moment that it does. You don’t want to be 50 years old, sitting at your kitchen table, thinking what you could’ve done. You want to be that mom or dad that tells their kids what they DID do!
Don’t be scared to make new friends. The locals might seem scary sometimes, but it doesn’t mean they actually are. Traveling within the country of your study abroad, you will meet tons and tons of people from the US and from other countries. We had the pleasure of meeting some people from Spain and Canada just last weekend.
With that being said, when studying abroad, do it all! Be smart, be safe, but don’t be afraid. Keep your ears and eyes open to your surroundings, but don’t let any previous fear or any other person stop you from gaining YOUR experiences!
I leave you with Babe Ruth’s words, “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”
Feel free to follow me and my adventures on Instagram! @dandyasia
Pura Vida!
