As the Study Abroad experience comes to an end....

For the past few weeks, I have thought a lot about how this experience has changed me. Before I came to Vienna, I had people all over the place telling me what a "life-changing" experience studying abroad would turn out to be, and how it was sure to be something that I would never forget. -- So, coming in, I had a few expectations/assumptions of what could possibly happen to me. I had traveled quite a bit before, so I also thought that I had everything figured out before I even got here, and looking back on me 4 months ago, I think that I expected study abroad to be like a GSP Gone Global.

Here is what I found out:

1. Never be afraid to ask questions. - Even though I was an "experienced" world traveler, I quickly realized that there are many more things that I don't know than things that I do. I had been to Vienna before, but asking questions here has saved my life! I had to figure out an entirely different way of life, so asking people for help was crucial to me surviving this experience!

2. Diversity is a GREAT thing. - I come from a place where a lot of people are very similar, so I hadn't been around a whole lot of ethnically diverse people in my day. Well, for starters, my roommate was from Slovenia, so the diversity started out right away! I have made friends with people from walks of life that are 180 degrees different from my own, and I wouldn't have them any other way. Some of my best friends are from Iran, England, New Zealand, Canada and Serbia... so they are worlds different than this Kentuckian. Differences between people have made this semester SO interesting and fun... and definitely not boring! -- Even if I did have to communicate in sign language half the time (because of language barriers), I enjoyed every minute!

3. God is everywhere. - I got a little discouraged the first few weeks here, because I was really missing my church family and friends. I was surrounded by people in a very liberal environment, and at first, wasn't quite sure how I would grow spiritually while over here. Well, I did! God is present wherever you need him to be, and I have seen Him in so much. Whenever I look at pictures from Lake Mondsee in the lake district surrounding Salzburg... I see Him. Whenever I heard the Vienna Boys Choir... I heard Him. And whenever I survived the car crash in the snow... I definitely felt Him. Even in a society that doesn't value the personal relationship with God (as much as my family, friends, and those back at home) do, I found God in some of the most surprising places and in some of the most powerful ways. -- I have also learned to really stand up for who I am, and not to be ashamed of the fact that I am a Christian (Romans 1:16).

4. I can do it! - I might be from a rural city of 14,000 people, but I can hang in there! After traveling all over and living in Europe this semester, I have become quite capable of getting around and doing things on my own. I had to book flights (and get there on time!), cook dinner, do laundry, navigate in foreign environments with non-English speakers, go to the hospital and fix my eye, pay rent, etc. I have had to take care of a lot of important things while I have been over here, and I think that I have done a pretty good job! I survived, after all!

5. Traveling is AMAZING. - After being to all of these wonderful and beautiful places, I know that my travels are not going to stop at the end of this semester. I am very excited about whatever adventures await me next, either domestically (going to Wal-Mart is an adventure sometimes!) or abroad (family vacation to Cabo!). Traveling gives me such a rush, and just seeing all of the things in the world makes me SO happy. There is really no other way to put it. Traveling makes Amanda happy. :)