The Beginning of the End

With the realization that my study abroad experience is already halfway over, I feel the urge to abandon my academic responsibilities so that I can travel and see all that I can.  Midterms are tomorrow and instead of studying I am writing this post and reflecting on the past two months I have spent here and anticipating the two months I have left.  It scares me that I might go home thinking, “I should have done this, should have gone there.” Once I graduate I probably won’t have the funds or the time to travel like I do now, and I know I have to use my time wisely.

I admit my first two months probably could have been better spent.  There were some long weekends that I should have taken advantage of.  I wasn’t able to pull it together, focus, and plan trips for the many long weekends we had in the beginning of the semester.  Buenos Aires always seemed to distract me.  Maybe the Argentinian lifestyle did rub off on me.  I found it difficult to sit down with my computer and book bus tickets and hostels when I could be going to the market, exploring the city, and living in the moment.  Everything was shiny and brand new and it did not bother me that I was staying in the city while other students were going to places like Iguazú, Patagonia, and Salta.

But now I realize I have only two months left in this beautiful and crazy city.  I feel as though I have gotten to know Buenos Aires well, however there is always more to see, more to experience.  I may think I have a grasp of the city, but surely I’ve only seen a fraction of what the city has to offer.  I need to remind myself that I need to try new places and new activities, to not develop habits because there is so little time.

So this is a note to self, and a note to future study abroad students.  Plan. Sit down and plan at 2AM if you have to.  Drink some Speed (sin vodka would probably be best) and book those 15 hour bus rides.  Coordinate with your friends or hop on the bandwagon with other students that are traveling even if you don’t know them very well.  Getting outside of the city and seeing other parts of South America on those long weekends is a must.  For most of us, this semester is a once in a lifetime experience and these memories will be everlasting.  I am extremely lucky to be here and to live my life without regrets would be preferable.

So here’s to making the most out of these next two months.