{"id":41576,"date":"2020-04-03T16:13:03","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T20:13:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=41576"},"modified":"2020-04-03T16:13:03","modified_gmt":"2020-04-03T20:13:03","slug":"studying-abroad-ended-early-for-me-heres-how-im-coping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2020\/04\/03\/studying-abroad-ended-early-for-me-heres-how-im-coping\/","title":{"rendered":"Studying Abroad Ended Early For Me. Here’s How I’m Coping"},"content":{"rendered":"\"\"<\/a>\r\n\r\nNearly three weeks ago, I received an email from the University of Toronto letting me know that my study abroad experience was over. The federal government was urging all Canadians to return home as soon as possible, due to the coronavirus pandemic. My parents had seen this coming a few days in advance and booked a flight to avoid the hoopla before everyone and their cousins started booking return flights.<\/span>\r\n\r\nDo you mind coming home?<\/span><\/i> My sister asked through FaceTime, the night before I left my host country. I replied that <\/span>no, I was ready.<\/span><\/i>\r\n\r\nDespite the devastation of ending my studying abroad chapter early, I had learned a lifelong lesson during my outbound exchange. Things don't always go according to plan, but the best thing to do is accept reality and keep going. Yes, my time in Spain wrapped four months ahead of time (due to a terrifying global pandemic), but I also gained an invaluable experience and a whole lot of self-confidence and independence. I proved to myself that I can navigate a foreign country entirely on my own and without the support of my parents. I learned how to handle money, manage my time and how to juggle school and my social life better.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\nSome people study abroad to look good for future employers. To say, <\/span>look how cultured I am! I studied in Rome! <\/span><\/i>Studying abroad, however, is more than just academics. At least, for me, it\u2019s more about the people you meet who reserve space in your heart and the beautiful places that you visit and the experiences you gain.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"<\/a>\r\n\r\nIf my wistful writing hasn\u2019t already made it obvious, I\u2019m a hopeless idealist. Studying abroad was amazing and life-changing, but it was also a little disappointing--due to its early end. And that\u2019s okay.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe harsh reality is that studying abroad is not a break from the real world. It\u2019s the real world. And in the real world, life happens. You make friends, you lose friends. You watch your bank account swell at the start of each semester and you watch it dwindle at an alarming pace as the months go by. The weather gets cold (just like in Canada!) and you learn to accept that every place has its own flaws. And, global pandemics happen, as well.<\/span>\r\n\r\nBut, another fantastic thing I\u2019ve garnered from all this is a new-found appreciation for\u00a0<\/span>home<\/span><\/i>. There\u2019s a comforting feeling in knowing that your family and loved ones await you, no matter where you go. Even if you travel to the Bahamas, or Beijing or New Zealand. Knowing that there\u2019s a place where you belong creates a sense of security and the type of comfort and feel-good emotions that only Christmas baking can bring.<\/span>\r\n\r\nIn the future, I may return to Spain. I still have people there that I\u2019d love to see. But when I think of my study abroad experience, it\u2019s not all roses and sunshine and puppies. Life happens. And that\u2019s okay.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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\nNearly three weeks ago, I received an email from the University of Toronto letting me know that my study abroad experience was over. The federal government was urging all Canadians to return home as soon as possible, due to the…\n<\/div>
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