Program: UMD-Exchange: Amsterdam University College
Term: Spring 2023
Major: Government and Politics International Relations
Studying abroad impacted me in ways that I could not have even imagined! I learned so much about the world, about people, and about myself in 6 months. One of the most important things that I learned about myself is that I can do whatever I want. Being away from everyone that I have ever known for an extended period of time made me realize that I am in control of myself and that I am truly free to create the life that I wish to live. I also learned so much about my perceptions of myself and my culture (or things that I didn't even consider as part of U.S. culture that actually are).
I made 2 standout connections while abroad, one with my roommate and one with my current partner. My roommate is Turkish and also an exchange student, and it was very interesting to hear about her perspectives of her country home while also sharing my experiences. We would talk for hours after class about our shared love of music and dancing and she would show me all these different cultural aspects of Turkish culture! The same thing happened with my partner, who is Portuguese but moved to the Netherlands when he was a teenager. Not only did he share his Portuguese perspective on things, but also his Dutch one as well. These cross-cultural experiences shone new lights on my own view of myself and the world around me.
Since I had the amazing opportunity to live in Europe, I took the chance to travel during spring break. I went to Portugal and Spain and a memory stands out to me on a bus in Madrid. My friends that I was traveling with had slept in, but I wanted to take advantage of the morning and go explore the city. I planned to go to a museum and took the bus. The bus was very crowded. There was this older couple who entered the bus; I stood up to give my seat to them. The older man insisted that he was young and that I should sit down. He said "tengo una mente positiva, soy joven!" With the biggest smile on his face. Mind you, this was entirely in spanish, as we were in Spain! I know some Spanish to briefly get around, but not nearly enough to hold a decent conversation. But the man starts having a conversation anyway. Him and his wife asked me where I am from, and what I was doing in Madrid. I tell them I'm from the U.S. and apologized for my Spanish not being very good. And they were surprised that I was alone, as my friends hadn't wanted to leave. But most of all, they told me that were proud of me for having the courage to go alone. They said the museum I was going to was great and that I should keep a "mente positiva." That was such a nice interaction and I'm sad that I couldn't fully communicate how happy I was, but my point was understood!
Advice for future #TerpsAbroad:
For anyone studying abroad: It is easy to think that you won't make friends, but the people in your exchange program are also going to feel just as lost and confused and lonely as you. You are all in the same boat, which makes it easier to bond with them!! To black people, feminine people/women , and/or queer people : We are everywhere. Even if it doesn't seem like it. We are everywhere. TikTok and Instagram are great resources to find events that interest you. It may not seem like that at first but we are everywhere.
I am one of those people who never thought they'd study abroad. I'm here to tell you that it is not only possible, but it is the most enriching experience that I have ever had in my life. I won't lie to you and say that it wasn't scary or uncomfortable at times, especially in the first few weeks. However, I do not regret it one bit. I have been opened up to a multitude of cultures, places and perspectives that I will keep with me for the rest of my life.
The hardest part about studying abroad was the sheer amount of homesickness and adjusting to a new environment. My school's move in date was the first day of classes, which made adjusting that much more turbulent! Another challenge I found was making friends outside of my exchange program, as my host school was only 900 students, all of which were already in tight-knit cliques. Another challenge I found was balancing traveling with studies, especially when other exchange students travelled way more than I did. On homesickness, I stayed off of social media to check on things back home. I instead focused on the cool new place that I found myself in. Venting and sharing my fears with my roommate (who was also going through the same thing that I was) definitely made me feel less alone. I am very grateful for her!
On making friends, I talked a little bit with my classmates, but had a lot of my social interactions outside of the school environment. I had many cool conversations and connections with people in libraries, clubs, and bars! People are really not as scary as I thought! On traveling and comparison, I realized that people's budgets are different than mine. And that is okay! I budgeted my travels to my own budget and what I could afford and manage with my full time school schedule. I leaned not to worry about what other people were doing, because I don't know what their life is like. The most resilient thing that I have learned about myself is my independent nature and the power of focusing on yourself.
Instagram: @jordanthewzrd