At the very beginning of our semester abroad, we were warned of culture shock, and nearing the end of our time in France I realized that it did indeed become a reality and problem for many. Since being back in Oxford I haven’t been a stranger to it, nor have I been completely “shocked” by it.
Immediately upon returning to the United States, the main sentiment I felt while I waited out my layover in the Atlanta airport or drove around town my first few days back at home was how easy everything is in the United States.
You're a college student on a budget and you're studying abroad in Buenos Aires. Congratulations!
Here are some basic tips based off of my experience:
Where to stay:
Whenever I go to a new place there are a few things I notice immediately: flow of the people, frequency of coffee shops, and the language. Language is something so important and so beautiful, yet when it is familiar we hardly think about it. IES Abroad's program in Santiago, Chile is full-on immersion, so we had to have a little bit of Spanish knowledge going in to the semester. I think we were all at least comfortable with the idea of holding daily life conversations in Spanish.
It's been just over two weeks since I arrived back to California. Although it's nice to be back at home in time for the holidays, I do miss being in Barcelona and spending time with my friends. The café con leche, my host Mom's cooking, and the ease of getting around the city is what I miss the most.
Dear future IES Abroad London students,
“You must be so excited!!!!” Don’t get me wrong, that statement is 100% true; it just loses its flavor after hearing it from various mild acquaintances for the 36th time. I haven’t even left yet, but this incredible academic and cultural opportunity has already dominated most of the dialogue in my life.
I’ve been back in Oregon for just over two weeks (and as I speak, Oregon is having its first snow of the year and of the season!). Adjusting back home hasn’t been as challenging as I anticipated, but I suspect that the hardest adjustment will come when I return to school next weekend. That said, I do miss my apartment and its proximity to the piazza, to cappuccinos with the perfect amount of foam, and to mouthwatering pastas. (My apartment in Siena was 100% the best real estate I’ll ever live in.)
Other items not included in the above list include: