I didn’t come here to Europe to learn in a classroom; if that was the case, I would have stayed on campus. I came here to learn a new language. And yes, I may have begun learning the basics of that language in a classroom, but it was not until I began having conversations with locals that I actually started to master it.
I came here to enjoy a culture’s food; who knew the wonders of a salad with simply olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a little salt and pepper! I left America to see the world. And that means struggling with train schedules, trying to find cheap RyanAir flights, and booking hostels.
Traveling abroad stretched me as a person. I can’t really describe to you what it’s like being lost in a city where it seems like no one speaks English; from those experiences, I can only say I’ve grown. I learned how to be flexible and spontaneous...basically, I’ve learned to be prepared for anything.
These life lessons simply can’t be taught in an hour’s lecture. You can’t just teach independence, endurance, and resilience, but you need all these things to survive in any foreign city. And who knows how my time abroad will aid me once I’m back in the States. All I know is that I’m stronger.
Student blogger Daniel King ’10, returning to Wabash after spending fall semester of his junior year studying in Europe.