Whenever you seek golden life advice from an experienced person, they will almost always respond with:
- Don’t worry about what others think
- Travel as much as you can
People regret caring too much about what others think of them, but people never regret traveling. What is the common denominator of both pieces of advice? Autonomy. It may seem overwhelming and scary to live in a foreign country for months (especially when you are not even an A1 in that country’s language) but feeling that is normal and human. When we go abroad, we are leaving behind the world we know and entering a new one. Life is a classroom and experience is the best teacher.
Overall, I had an amazing experience. It was like a guilt-free gap year because I was still getting university credits while traveling. Every weekend, I had the choice to hop onto a train to explore a different Spanish city, fly to a different country, or just stay in Madrid and immerse myself in local culture. Getting the opportunity to travel is an opportunity that I will forever be grateful for as it has created countless memories I can cherish for life. I have created lifelong friendships with people from all over the world and got the opportunity to travel to their countries as well. In essence, Spain has instilled in me the confidence to know I can thrive in diverse environments independently. Everything I have experienced there has been teachable moments in my ever-evolving advancement. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I cannot wait to go back!