STUDYING ABROAD AS A HOMEBODY: MY REASONS FOR TAKING THE LEAP

STUDying abroad as a homebody:

My reasons for taking the leap

Deciding to Study Abroad is definitely not an overnight decision. There are a lot of thoughts and a whole lot of plans that have to happen prior to actually getting to go. So here are my thoughts and a few of the major plans that were made:

For as long as I can remember I have heard incredibly positive things about studying abroad. People would either say, “Studying abroad was amazing,” or “My biggest regret in college was not studying abroad.” So throughout my search for a college to attend I looked into the options of studying abroad. Luckily, UNC Charlotte has an immense amount of  places you can attend with a variety of options for how to do it. When looking to go abroad you can either figure out where you want to go and then see how you can get class credit for going there, or you can look for a specific program and see where it will take you. I chose the second option. First, I am a homebody and knew that I definitely only wanted to go for a summer session (short enough so I don’t miss out on a lot at school or miss my family too much, but also long enough to experience some of the culture). Secondly, I get a little scared to try new things on my own, therefore I wanted to do a Faculty-Led trip. From there, making the decision to go to Italy was easy! I looked at the Summer Faculty-Led options and there was a Belk College of Business trip to Italy. Since I am a Belk College student and have dreamed about going to Venice, Italy, the decision  was a no-brainer for me.  The cherry on top is to earn six hours of class credit for going!

In order to study abroad you have to:

1. Apply for the trip

2. Complete a good amount of requirements (such as: signing papers, paying for the trip [it is in increments so it really isn’t that bad], and completing a few webinars)

3. Attend meetings prior to your trip (I only had two and they were super helpful)

4. Plan any extra details such as travel there or fun excursions. 

Doing all the requirements are super easy and it is very clear with everything that you need to get done. Planning the fun stuff can be more time consuming but it is also really fun. Big things I did for myself was book my flight, plan a travel to Rome before the trip officially started, apply for scholarships, and budget for the entirety of my trip.

As I prepare to leave for this trip, I am so excited to visit another country and see the culture. Being in Italy for four weeks will allow me to see different cities and take note of how Italians do life. Obviously, I am also really excited for all the AMAZING food  (i.e. PIZZA and GELATO) and to see all the sites! I have never been to Europe before so I am really just excited that I get to go and explore so much of a country through one program. In four weeks I will have been to Rome, Florence, Assisi, Orvieto, Siena, Venice, and at least two other places. Then while I’m in those cities, I will be able to go on tours of Cathedrals, partake in a cooking class, see a few museums, and visit the big attractions. So yeah I am VERY excited! 

There are definitely some nerves that go along with a four week trip overseas. The thing I am most nervous about is being with people I don’t know well for four weeks without the comfort of home (remember I am a homebody). The questions of “will we get along,” and “will I make friends” definitely ring in my head. However, the program did do a great job of providing ways for us to meet each other beforehand through mandatory meetings and providing everyone with each other’s email addresses. Also, it is part of stepping out of your comfort zone to meet new people. Ultimately, it is only four weeks so whether you “click” with anyone or not (which you most definitely will) you will be home before you know it - after you see the all the beautiful sights of course!