I was grappling with the Ratty renovations when suddenly my musings were pierced by the dreaded and all too common question: “OH MY GOD! How was ABROAD?!!!”
Studying abroad is a very complex experience, but when you’re trying to gracefully pull off a European double cheek kiss greeting without spilling your coffee and still make it to class on time, the nuance is lost and all you can utter is, “Amazing! We have to catch up soon.” And then you don’t.
This canned, generic answer is practical but misleading. The person you only acknowledge when you’re tipsy at a party doesn’t actually want to hear about your incredible clubbing experience in BarTHelona. If they did, you would have more page views on your Abroad Blog detailing your self-discovery self-aggrandizement. So in effect, “Amazing!” is a merciful answer. However, I’m afraid that it perpetuates the misconception that spending a semester in a foreign country is just a long vacation.
Beware the formulaic social media posts. Facebook album descriptions listing twelve countries and Instagram captions that stretch to incorporate city names into excruciating puns may fool you. [Insert selfie at the London Eye captioned “~Eye~ love London” here]. But contrary to popular belief, studying abroad is not just eating gelato at the Trevi Fountain for three months.
To be clear, these snapshots of abroad aren’t fake news—they’re just one facet of a much larger and more complicated experience. I had my fair share of less picturesque times. I tried to accept that time zone differences affect friendships. I had to explain my post-election tears to strangers on the metro. I ate leftover rice as my drunk snack because there are no Spicy Withs in Denmark. Most unbelievably, I actually had to study?
In the spirit of full disclosure, here is my #NoFilter Abroad Album with honest captions and NO PUNS.
No pregame is complete without a gourmet dinner of hot dogs and scrambled eggs. Cheers!
I spent a lazy summer afternoon sprawled on a picnic blanket and snacking on a fine assortment of cheese and crackers procured from the Danish equivalent of Walmart. Unfortunately my throat lozenges and incessant hacking and sneezing distracted from the view.
It can be hard to book a doctor’s appointment in a foreign country. My friend’s diagnosis of my symptoms seemed legit enough.
I really embraced the sophistication of legal drinking, but then I found out one cocktail costs as much as a whole handle of Crown Russe.
It’s so nice to hear from your family when you’re living 6,000 miles away from home. But sometimes that means being called the f*&k out by your dad.
Tried my hand at patriotic spirit for my last meal in the pre-Trump world. The potato chips were salty enough before being drenched by my tears. Sad!
I loved gallivanting through Europe’s finest galleries. Sometimes art imitates life.
Boot and Rally: Despite the previous night’s academic award dinner with an open bar and enabling professors, I still had to take my last final exam the next morning. I went to three different 7/11’s to seek a rare hangover elixir called Powerade. A+.
Image via.